Luminar’s quest to become a major auto supplier
Emerging Tech Brew:
https://www.emergingtechbrew.com/stories/2022/11/29/luminar-s-quest-to-become-a-major-auto-supplier
Women In Trucking: Self-Driving Panel Answers Questions, Dispels Myths
During the Accelerate! Women In Trucking conference in Dallas, Texas, five women from different self-driving truck companies took the stage to discuss the applications of autonomy within trucking, and how it will integrate within an already complicated environment.
Representing the industry were several professionals from various autonomous trucking companies, including Amisha Vadalia, Senior Director of Operations at Plus; Tammy Hamilton, VP of Operations with Gatik; Xinfeng Le, Senior Product Manager for Waymo Via Trucking; Vivian Sun, Chief Commercial Officer with Waabi; and from Torc, Akila Panneerselvam, Engineering Manager with Perception. Shannon M. Cohen, partner with Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary P.C., moderated.
‘The Future Is Now’
At the onset of the hour, the discussion was framed with the statement “The Future Is Now.” Autonomous trucking is in use already in the U.S. and Canada, with 25 states in the U.S. allowing autonomous driving at Level 4. While each of the companies are at different stages, with different operational design domains (ODD), scopes and distance targets, most agree that the most important fact is to understand customers’ journeys and that openness and transparency between the AV industry and freight companies is necessary for streamlined adoption and capitalization.
As regulation continues to push forward (with different states working through policy creation at different speeds), self-driving truck companies are working in concert to answer challenges ahead going to market. Parallel to regulations, however, comes the technical challenges to prove and validate alongside government oversight. A tremendous amount of safety and proof must occur before companies can go “driver out” on a regular, scalable basis. The timeframe to do that is evolving, and companies are creating their own timelines based on their individual stages and ODD.
But no one in trucking, and attending the conference should be thinking about AV as something “in 20 years.” Carriers and drivers need to be educated, and ready now to understand how the network is going to change.
Some of the points discussed about the advantages of AV included:
- Vehicle crashes is a top 10 cause of death worldwide. A wider adoption of self-driving technology can and will change that number in the coming years.
- Driver shortage and driver challenges: The driver shortage will get worse over next 10 years. Autonomy can help bridge the gap that this deficit is causing.
- Trucking assets can be used all day, every day: As AV can be used for longer runs and more often, the effect on the supply chain will become immediately evident, as well as more efficient.
- There will be increased user experiences across the supply chain as AV becomes more prevalent as a transportation option.
- Parking: There aren’t enough safe and secure parking spaces currently, especially for female drivers. Autonomous trucks, simply, do not need to park.
- Fuel savings: Consistent speeds mean consistent fuel use and economy. Autonomous vehicles maintain a specific, speed limit average with less braking and starting-and-stopping, and that fuel savings will translate in to a better bottom line and less environmental impact.
- As jobs are created and the industry grows to adapt and enfold AV trucking, there will be “something for everyone” with autonomy as a new, not replacement, modality in freight.
Other points of conversation:
“It’s very important for women to find a community or network — much like those created at the conference — of awesome women who can advocate together and vouch for you as well.”
Xinfeng Le, Waymo Via Trucking
Women Can Lead This Adoption
All of the panelists were excited to speak at a conference specifically designed for women truckers, and stressed the job opportunities autonomous networks and fleets will provide. Additionally, autonomous trucking will also need women in STEM roles, legal, operations, and marketing. Tammy Hamilton from Gatik asked the audience to “be bold. Say yes to opportunities that come along. There’s not one opportunity in autonomous trucking that’s not available to women.”
Xinfeng Le from Waymo Via Trucking added that “it’s very important for women to find a community or network — much like those created at the conference — of awesome women who can advocate together and vouch for you as well.”
Autonomy Lessons Learned So Far
A question from the audience spurred the discussion of what the companies have learned so far, as they work to develop and launch products. Some points that were raised are:
- As the systems continue to evolve, all companies are scrutinizing their redundancy plans, and building better systems that include multiple fail safes and triggers.
- All companies agree that it is extremely important to build a culture of safety within their companies, from engineering through to fleet operations, to empower colleagues to say no at any given point, and understand risk tolerance from the ground up.
- All understand that nothing can be “100% safe” but the AV industry is working to that standard.
All of the panelists stressed the importance of testing and simulation. The scale for testing is large – millions of miles on public roads and billions of miles in simulation environments. Simulation is a hot topic and those billions of simulated miles can actively replace much of the road testing, within a much safer, more reliable system. It was also added that as autonomy becomes more commonplace as a mode of transport, the testing and simulation will keep evolving and iterating.
Akila from Torc mentioned Torc’s envisioning of aerospace innovations within perception, sensors and monitoring. “Many protocols have evolved, as we’ve moved forward, to include guardrails and fail safes, just like the Space Program,” she said.
“Many protocols have evolved, as we’ve moved forward, to include guardrails and fail safes, just like the Space Program.”
Akila Panneerselvam, Perception Engineering Manager, Torc
Insurance: How It Will Change
Practically, in a room full of trucking professionals, the last question of the panel turned to the impacts driverless trucks will make on the bottom dollar of insurance coverage. Some points discussed were:
- Insurance companies are interested in autonomous space and looking to price accordingly, especially since rates are based on collision numbers… something AV will likely reduce.
- Since the insurance business model is based on collision, companies could end up making less money. As that is unlikely, autonomy could change the insurance business model.
- Additionally, there are questions as to how simulation miles will be used to help provide clarity for the future of insurance and rates.
More information about the Accelerate! panel and the virtual discussion can be found online.
Torc Robotics, Schneider Announce Pilot to Further Operationalize Level 4 Autonomy for Long-Haul Trucking
(Blacksburg, VA – September 20, 2022) Torc Robotics, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced that Schneider (NYSE: SNDR) and Torc are working towards implementation of a pilot program utilizing Torc’s autonomous test fleet.
“Schneider is an undisputed leader in the industry,” said Michael Fleming, Torc’s founder. “Many of trucking’s best practices and breakthroughs stem from Schneider’s forward-thinking approach. This relationship with Schneider is a significant step for the operational development of our product as we continue to work toward a seamless integration with the existing freight industry.”
As part of the agreement, Schneider will provide freight loads for Torc’s pilot operations and unique insights on truckload freight that will help guide the development and ongoing commercialization of autonomous trucks for long-haul applications.
“We see great potential for Torc’s autonomous technology to improve freight efficiencies while helping to lower cost,” said Rob Reich, Schneider executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “Schneider is looking forward to providing Torc with the industry and operational knowledge needed to maximize the potential of autonomous trucks.”
Torc recently announced the formation of its Torc Autonomous Advisory Council (TAAC), which includes key freight industry players such as Schneider. The latest agreement with Schneider will be multi-phased, launching from the initial scouting work that the companies have already completed. Through Torc’s Test/Discover/Iterate approach, initial evaluation has commenced to ensure Torc’s systems are achieving the necessary requirements for Schneider and its customers. The next steps include system integration and day-to-day commercial operation pilots throughout 2023 and beyond. The end goal of the effort is to hone the product trajectory into an industry-guided usable solution.
About Schneider
Schneider is a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services. Offering one of the broadest portfolios in the industry, Schneider’s solutions include Regional and Long-Haul Truckload, Expedited, Dedicated, Bulk, Intermodal, Brokerage, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management, Port Logistics and Logistics Consulting.
With $5.6 billion in annual revenue, Schneider has been safely delivering superior customer experiences and investing in innovation for over 85 years. The company’s digital marketplace, Schneider FreightPower®, is revolutionizing the industry giving shippers access to an expanded, highly flexible capacity network and provides carriers with unmatched access to quality drop-and-hook freight – Always Delivering, Always Ahead.
For more information about Schneider, visit Schneider.com or follow the company socially on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter: @WeAreSchneider. Source: Schneider SNDR
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Stuttgart, Germany. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.
Torc Media Contact: Laura Lawton, press@torc.ai
Schneider Media Contact: Kara Leiterman, Leitermank@schneider.com
Chris Harrison Joins Torc as Vice President of Platform Development
(Blacksburg, Va., Sept. 15, 2022) Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has named Chris Harrison vice president of Torc Platform Development. With 20+ years of experience in vehicle development, Harrison will lead the development, testing, and implementation of a hardware stack that enables the migration of the autonomous driving software onto the hardware platform.
Harrison was most recently head of software, segment vehicle dynamics, safety, and motion, automotive for Continental AG, where he led nine global locations and more than 1,200 people working towards deploying electronic brake systems in all markets.
With a comprehensive understanding of the engineering development life cycle, Harrison will lead a team to develop and evaluate sensors and their requirements. The team will work closely with Daimler Truck North America to integrate the Torc autonomous driver platform into the truck for production. In addition, his team will construct test tools like Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulators and benches to ensure a platform where the teams can test continuously. Torc is currently running its Level 4 autonomous test trucks on public roads in multiple locations including New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia, with plans to expand in the southwest corridor of the U.S.
After spending the past seven years working abroad in China and Germany, Harrison is returning to the U.S. with a newly honed global perspective. He will be based in Torc’s Austin, Texas, location.
“I look forward to working with the software development divisions at Torc to integrate this innovative, lifesaving software onto the platform.” said Harrison. “Torc’s technology will make transporting freight safer and more efficient, and I’m honored to contribute to that effort.”
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Stuttgart, Germany. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.
Media contact: Laura Lawton, 408-505-5820
Dushyant Wadivkar Joins Torc as Vice President of System Design and Safety Engineering
(Blacksburg, Va. – Sept. 12, 2022) Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has named Dushyant Wadivkar as vice president of Torc System Design and Safety Engineering. He will work across Torc to effectively create, implement, and oversee a world-class system and safety engineering program.
Since 2005, Wadivkar has added intelligence to increasingly complex automotive systems, all of which have been safety critical. He joins Torc from Cruise, where he was responsible for technical product management, building an artificial intelligence (AI)-based autonomous vehicle (AV) stack, internal tools, and the development infrastructure for a fully driverless urban ride-hail application. His AV journey began with leading an engineering department at Bosch to deliver highway autonomy for passenger cars. Before AVs, he developed algorithms for chassis stability systems.
Wadivkar joins Torc as the co-chair of the Legal and Regulatory Safety Committee. He will shape and influence refinements of global vehicle-safety regulations that drive development of autonomous driving system (ADS)-equipped vehicle certification standards. He will also work to enable optimal system architecture for a commercially viable product and corresponding release strategies for driverless deployment.
In addition, Wadivkar will continue to develop Torc’s innovative systems and strong safety culture, which is a comprehensive approach to the safe development, testing, and deployment of ADS technology in Level 4 self-driving freight trucks. More information about the company’s safety philosophy can be found in the Torc Voluntary Safety Self-Assessment (VSSA) report.
“Saving lives is a key component of Torc’s mission,” said Wadivkar. “I’m excited to join Torc to continue ensuring system engineering rigor and safety principles are integrated into every facet of the organization, and all stages of development, testing, and deployment.”
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an engineering office in Austin, Texas. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.
Supply Chain Management and Self-Driving Trucking
In the vast world of logistics and supply chain management, it’s impossible to deny that trucking is an essential link. In the United States alone, trucking delivers approximately 70% of goods to retail locations nationwide. As we begin crafting more resilient processes to strengthen our production, we’re looking towards innovative new techniques and technologies to further the conversation. At Torc, our self-driving freight technology aims to stabilize the shipping journey, improve efficiency, and add flexibility across the board.
By adding autonomous trucking to the supply chain landscape, we change the conversation in a multitude of ways. From reduced costs to regained time, autonomy takes a transformational look at the way we move goods.
What is the supply chain?
The supply chain is the fundamental process by which goods are created and shipped from suppliers, to manufacturers, through to end users. The name, supply chain, comes from a time when the warehouse-to-store process was simpler. These days, this industrial network is more like an engine: it relies on countless different cogs, wheels, and belts to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
The supply chain encompasses a vast landscape of people, companies, technology, and responsibilities, all organized into segments in the greater supply network. The supply chain also includes moving raw materials and parts to manufacturing facilities, allowing those facilities to assemble and produce the finished products. The greater supply network ranges from raw material providers to big box stores; trucking typically falls in the distribution and transportation stage.
Supply chain distribution is how products get to customers. From food to medicine, distribution allows us all to enjoy fresh produce during the winter months, have access to life-saving medicine, and more. When we say the end user, we generally mean everyday shoppers in your local stores. However, the end user can also be a local business who uses that product to make their own goods. For instance, an ice cream shop owner might be the end user for a carton of cream.
Why are trucks important to the supply chain?
Trucking is a huge industry. In most states, more than half the population cites their primary profession as, “truck driver”, and stateside trucks carry more freight than all other modes of transportation. Trucking alone is responsible for roughly 72.% of the nation’s freight by weight. Needless to say, trucking is an integral link in the freight network.
Truck drivers are responsible for more than just driving, too. Truckers act as logisticians, merchandisers, account representatives, and often even own their own vehicles, meaning that many drivers are entrepreneurs of their own making. From marketing to maintenance, truck drivers carry out a complex amount of planning – including supply chain risk management.
We have the opportunity to streamline and augment the process by providing another mode of moving vast amounts of freight: autonomous trucking. Autonomous trucking will increase capacity for long-haul freight loads, allowing trucking distribution to operate at never-before-seen speeds. Companies and shippers that need to move goods over long stretches of road will benefit from this immense increase in capacity. With the Torc model of autonomous trucking, drivers can spend more time focusing on the logistics and maintenance parts of their businesses, allowing the supply chain management process to speed up even further.
With this new innovation in-hand, truckers are out of the long hours spend driving cross-country and are in their homes every night. They’ll focus on first-and-last mile pickups and deliveries while autonomous vehicles tackle the arduous task of driving the middle mile.
What happens in a supply chain disruption?
In a supply chain disruption, something snags in the greater development. Disruptions put a stop to the shipping journey, usually with a domino effect that cascades all the way down to the consumer. These kinds of issues can typically be categorized into six groups: cybersecurity, financial viability, geopolitics, man-made, natural disasters, and compliance. In one recent example, a shortage of shipping containers and COVID-19 restrictions caused one of the world’s largest distribution catastrophes to date.
However, not all production issues can be categorized so easily. Some issues come out of left field, halting logistics processes in ways that businesses, suppliers, and consumers alike may not have anticipated. In other words, when a wrench is thrown into the supply chain engine, slowdowns are inevitable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mass disruption resulted in an industry-wide realization that it’s no longer enough to pare down the cost of operations. Instead, we have to be proactive in facing potential issues before they occur.
Autonomous vehicles and their capabilities will greatly enhance the transportation and logistics industry by adding another safe mode of transportation to the freight industry’s toolbox. With these factors in mind, the freight industry will be able to tackle advanced complex logistical issues, work out planning challenges, and solve operations issues with greater ease.
Enter self-driving semi-trucks
At Torc, that proactivity starts with self-driving semi-trucks. Instead of focusing in on cost optimization, we’re looking towards smart, sustainable solutions that can respond quickly to unexpected situations. Self-driving semi-trucks answer supply chain issues by saving time and by reducing the cost of goods. With the price of operating lowered due to autonomy’s abilities, the cost of goods isn’t impacted by shipping expenses as much as it has been in the past. Today, shipping expenses account for a significant amount of costs passed down to consumers; in our autonomous future, shipping costs are a minor impact. With full autonomy, operating costs might decline from 46 cents per mile to as little as 31 cents per mile.
We’re developing a self-driving semi-truck that has the possibility of lowering the cost of goods across the board, speeding up delivery to manufacturing facilities, and getting goods into local stores faster than ever. In the autonomous future, the way that trucking is utilized changes completely. From allowing drivers to come home every night to improving fuel efficiency, autonomous trucking has the ability to enhance the trucking world for the better.
As we begin crafting the world of autonomous freight vehicles, we’re launching proactive thinking when it comes to distribution crunches. With the roll-out of autonomous trucking, our ability to predict and gauge the severity of supply chain issues will be greater, resulting in a future that’s smart, sustainable, and scalable.
Torc Announces New CEO
Blacksburg, VA – August, 18, 2022) Torc Robotics and Daimler Truck (DT) today announced a change to the executive team at Torc that will usher in the next era of leadership, product commercialization, and customer focus. Effective Oct. 1, Dr. Peter Vaughan Schmidt, currently head of Daimler Truck’s Autonomous Technology Group, will succeed Michael Fleming as chief executive officer of Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck. Fleming will retain a seat on the Torc Board of Directors and remain engaged as a key advisor.
This change in the senior executive position at the company is a natural transition in Torc’s evolution as a company since 2019, when Daimler invested in Torc. Following the investment, Fleming realigned Torc to focus on building autonomous technology for class 8 semi-trucks and quadrupled the company into a global organization with teams in four locations in the United States and Europe. Under his guidance, development teams pushed autonomous-truck technology forward toward Torc’s vision of being the first company to bring a profitable and scalable autonomous truck to market safely.
Martin Daum, chief executive officer of Daimler Truck, noted, “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Michael Fleming. His achievements for our company and for our industry as a whole cannot be overstated. He is a true pioneer and visionary who paved the way for autonomous driving, founding Torc Robotics 17 years ago. Torc has been part of the Daimler Truck family since 2019 and, with Michael at the helm, has successfully further developed its software solution for autonomous driving and adapted it to our Freightliner trucks. As a consultant and Member of Torc’s Board of Directors, Michael Fleming will continue to contribute his expertise and I am very much looking forward to continuing our cooperation. Following the pioneering work in recent years, Torc is now entering the next phase. The aim now is to establish Torc as a global company with four locations, bring autonomous trucking technology to perfection in the next few years, and ultimately to series production. I am very pleased that we have the right personality in Peter Vaughan Schmidt to shape this next phase as CEO of Torc. Peter has been responsible for autonomous driving at Daimler Truck for many years and has been closely supporting Torc since we invested in 2019. He therefore has everything it takes to lead Torc, as an independent company in which Daimler Truck holds a majority stake, into a successful future and to bring the entire potential of autonomous trucks to the road.”
After 17 years at the helm, Fleming is stepping down as CEO, but will stay deeply involved as board member and strategic advisor. Fleming hands the reins of the company to Schmidt, who has guided large global companies and brings the expertise required to run organizations and to launch and commercialize products. Schmidt has served Daimler in a variety of roles since 2005 including strategy, product and platform management, as well as production and plant management.
Schmidt has been deeply involved in autonomous technology for a number of years, most recently as head of Daimler Trucks’ autonomous business unit where he orchestrated majority investment in Torc in 2019, and has worked closely with Fleming since. Prior to joining Daimler, Schmidt was a principal and consultant at McKinsey and Company serving the automotive industry.
Schmidt said, “We are all excited about this new chapter in Torc’s history. We’re building on Torc’s long tradition of autonomous innovation and safety and standing on the shoulders of the pioneers who built this industry from the ground up, starting 17 years ago with Torc’s founding. We’re looking forward to focusing on our customers’ needs, developing great technology together, and bringing the best possible product and much needed capacity to market as quickly and safely as possible.”
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Stuttgart, Germany. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.
Torc Robotics Announces Penske Truck Leasing as Test Fleet Truck Maintenance Service Provider
(Blacksburg, VA – May 5, 2022) Torc Robotics, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced that Penske Truck Leasing will serve as the truck maintenance service provider for Torc’s autonomous test fleet.
“Penske Truck Leasing’s expertise and impressive track record in the global trucking industry will play a significant role in getting our trucks on the road and strengthening our goal of safe operations,” said Michael Fleming, Torc founder and CEO. “Our objective is to integrate our trucks into the existing freight industry, and we are confident that a current industry leader, like Penske, will provide crucial support in doing just that.”
This agreement is part of Torc’s ongoing commercialization of autonomous trucks for long-haul applications.
Torc recently announced the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council (TAAC) in support of its goal to be the first scalable, profitable, commercialized Level 4 truck solution. Penske Truck Leasing, along with key freight industry leaders, will provide strategic guidance to Torc as it integrates with the freight network and tackles challenges beyond highway driving.
Paul Rosa, senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning, Penske Truck Leasing, said “We are very pleased to support Torc’s fleet uptime with our best-in-class truck maintenance program. This arrangement serves as a great complement to our work on the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council.”
About Penske Truck Leasing
Penske Truck Leasing is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. A leading global transportation services provider, Penske Truck Leasing operates more than 372,000 vehicles and serves customers from more than 1,300 locations in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Product lines include full-service truck leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer truck rentals, used truck sales, transportation and warehousing management, and supply chain management solutions. Visit www.pensketruckleasing.com to learn more.
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an engineering office in Austin, Texas. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity. Follow Torc for more news and information.
Torc Media Contact: Laura Lawton, press@torc.ai
Penske Truck Leasing Media Contact: Alen Beljin, alen.beljin@penske.com
Torc Stuttgart: Technology and Development Center Opening in Europe
(Blacksburg, Va. — April 6, 2022) Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck, is opening a technology and software development center in Stuttgart, Germany. Torc is a leader in SAE Level 4 self-driving vehicle software for heavy-duty vehicles. Torc Europe GmbH will tap into the available talent pool in one of Germany’s prime automotive development regions. The Stuttgart team will support the ongoing development of SAE Level 4 virtual driver for deployment in autonomous trucks in the United States.
“Torc is working closely with Daimler Truck to optimize the entire product stack including the virtual driver, sensing and computer hardware, and the redundant chassis to be the first company to launch a scalable and profitable self-driving product,” said Torc Founder and CEO Michael Fleming. “Torc’s Stuttgart technology and software development center will leverage the deep automotive and trucking technical and product expertise to make this a reality.”
Torc Europe GmbH is an independent entity and a 100% subsidiary of Torc Robotics, Inc. The office is in Untertürkheim, in close proximity to an existing Daimler Truck R&D facility and near the Daimler Truck headquarters. The 18,000 square-foot technology center has an additional 12,000 square feet that will be used as a workshop.
“Stuttgart is known as an area with a wealth of automotive and autonomous vehicle expertise. We hope to leverage this significant talent pool to meet our commercialization goals and support our mission of increased safety and efficiency,” said Torc Vice President of Engineering Mike Avitabile. “Collaboration thrives because of the partnership with Daimler Truck, a leader in the trucking industry. Combining Daimler Truck’s experience with Torc’s expertise in automated vehicle software and automated truck systems will help accelerate bringing our product to market.”
Torc and Daimler Truck are collaboratively pursuing a common goal of developing and bringing autonomous trucks for long-haul trucking (SAE Level 4) to the roads within the decade. This pure-play approach is directed at solving what Fleming calls “one of the most complex engineering feats of our generation.” The challenge is to reinvent the truck to accommodate a safe, scalable Level 4 product, while integrating with the complex, interconnected freight network to support sustained innovation and efficiency.
Torc and Daimler Truck
In 2019, Daimler Truck invested a majority share in Torc, the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to enter an integrated partnership with a truck original equipment manufacturer. Torc and Daimler Truck, with its North American entity, are ramping up development and testing in the United States, which requires support in areas such as simulation, machine learning, and infrastructure.
In addition to the facility in Stuttgart, Torc recently opened a 20,000-square-foot facility in Austin, Texas. In 2021, the company added a 28,000-square-foot office space for its workforce in Blacksburg’s Corporate Research Center. A fully operational test facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, opened in 2020. The Albuquerque location allows daily, multi-shift runs of Torc’s autonomous test trucks on highways in New Mexico and Texas.
The company is growing and is hiring software engineers, data scientists, and architects in the areas of systems, safety, validation, and product development. To learn more about employment opportunities at Torc Robotics, visit the Careers page.
Additional Background
- Daimler Truck, Torc kick off year 3 of industry’s first OEM/tech firm collaboration on autonomous trucks
- Torc expands footprint with new engineering office in Austin, Supporting fast growth in drive to commercialize self-driving trucks
- Torc Robotics to expand self-driving truck testing to New Mexico with test center in Albuquerque
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. “Trucking is the backbone of the United States economy, delivering food and products to every community in the country,” said Torc CEO and Founder Michael Fleming. “Daimler Truck has led innovation in trucking for more than a century, from the first truck, to driver-assist technology. Torc is working with Daimler Truck to commercialize self-driving trucks to make our roads safer and better, fulfilling our mission of saving lives.”
Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia test truck in front of the Torc Europe Stuttgart office.
Torc Announces Advisory Council to Foster Collaboration With Existing Logistics Companies
Advisory Council Includes Partners with Decades of Combined Experience in Parcel Delivery, Logistics, Technology, and More
(Blacksburg, VA) Torc Robotics, a pioneer in commercializing autonomous vehicle technology, today announced the launch of the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council (TAAC) in support of its goal to be the first scalable, profitable, commercialized Level 4 truck solution. The TAAC is comprised of key freight industry players who will provide strategic guidance to Torc as it integrates with the freight network and tackles challenges beyond highway driving.
“Torc has a history of collaborating with our partners who are experts in their field. The Torc Autonomous Advisory Council is the next step in the process of incorporating deep industry insights and expertise as Torc works to commercialize autonomous trucking,” said Michael Fleming, Torc founder and CEO. “We view this Council as a vital part of our work to integrate autonomous trucking into the existing freight industry while ensuring autonomous trucking benefits are realized with optimum safety.”
The cross-functional TAAC has various trucking industry backgrounds in courier and parcel delivery, less-than-truckload, full truckload, technology, and supply chain logistics. It will provide significant insights into the needs of the freight industry, validate logistics and operations development (hub logistics, tracking, etc.), and optimize safe autonomous trucking operations in the existing network.
“We’re committed to testing and providing the most effective vehicle technologies for our customers and driving innovation when it comes to mobility,” said Paul Rosa, Penske Truck Leasing senior vice president, procurement and fleet planning. “We believe it’s important to collaborate with other leading companies who are creating the next generation of transportation solutions to meet the future needs of our industry and enhancing the supply chain.”
“Torc’s Autonomous Advisory Council will help shape the future of the trucking transportation industry,” said Rob Reich, Schneider executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “We see great potential for this technology to improve efficiency while helping to lower cost. Being part of the Council allows carriers like Schneider to have a strong voice in how autonomous vehicles (AVs) are developed and tested, and how this technology will complement our professional over-the-road driver associates.”
Some of the TAAC members include Baton, C.H. Robinson, Covenant Logistics, Penske Truck Leasing, Ryder System, Inc., and Schneider. Daimler Truck North America, a pioneer in autonomous driving, is the sole original equipment manufacturer on the Council.
The Council meets quarterly and focuses on interactive discussions and brainstorming on a variety of topics. TAAC recently held its first quarter 2022 meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Members have visited Torc’s Albuquerque test center and have participated in demonstrations in Torc autonomous trucks. The expertise shared by members of the TAAC will bring Torc one step closer to commercializing self-driving trucks.
“At C.H. Robinson, we see the potential for AV technology to transform logistics and to essentially create a new mode of freight transportation,” said Pat Nolan, C.H. Robinson vice president of North American Surface Transportation. “That’s why we’re joining the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council to help maximize the benefits for the industry as a whole, to ease the capacity crunch for shippers, and to serve as a voice for our 85,000 carriers. Making sure shippers have access to AV and making sure smaller carriers are represented in the conversation is critical. We know Torc shares that belief.”
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, the global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 16 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. “Trucking is the backbone of the U.S. economy, delivering food and products to every community in the country,” said Michael Fleming, Torc founder and CEO. “Daimler has led innovation in trucking for more than a century, from the first truck, to driver-assist technology. Torc is working with Daimler Truck to commercialize self-driving trucks to make our roads safer and better, fulfilling our mission of saving lives.”