Torc Autonomous Advisory Council Creates Trucking Industry Buzz,
Paving the Way for
Growth, Expansion 

The launch of the Torc Autonomous Advisory Council (TAAC) has been met with industry and media support. Released on March 29th, the news of the formation of the TAAC, — a council comprised of key freight industry players who will provide strategic guidance to Torc — includes key players such as C.H. Robinson, Schneider, Penske, Ryder, as well as Torc’s majority stakeholder, Daimler Truck North America,

In a recent interview with FleetOwner, Andrew Culhane, Torc’s chief strategy officer, discussed the autonomous trucking race and how the TAAC can address the surrounding logistics.  “When I’m talking to customers these days, I rarely talk about the autonomous, self-driving aspects,” he explained. “Those are table stakes now. We better be able to do that—because otherwise, why are we having a conversation?”

Culhane continued by mentioning the targeted issues facing trucking in this decade. “Now it’s getting into the sweet spots of most fleets and logistics folks where they know the problems, and they’ve seen enough new tech in the last 10 years roll in—automated manual transmissions, ADAS features, they’re looking at electric down the road—and the challenges and impacts of those things coming online.”

As more freight industry companies join in the autonomous vehicle conversation, transportation as a whole will be better prepared for the addition of self-driving trucks, which will make a difference by making our nation’s highways, and the lanes for truckers, safer places to drive.

Partnerships

“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 in the TAAC announcement press release. “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.”

Topics

During TAAC meetings, Torc and the member partners engage in collaborative, critical conversations on topics such as:

• Integrating autonomous trucking with freight operations
• Regulatory challenges
• Optimizing the autonomous network
• Autonomous transfer terminal models
• Reinventing the chassis: why redundancy is key to safety
• Demos of truck progress
• Spec decisions (sleeper berths, etc.)
• Short and long term impact on drivers

“The feedback we have received from our initial TAAC meetings and the support we’ve seen from media coverage since the announcement of the council means we’re in the right place, at the right time, in sharing the mission and vision of Torc,” said Dan Parker, Director of Product Marketing. “We look forward to new members, future on-site visits, and discussions as we collaborate on the big picture of autonomous trucking technology.”

In the TAAC press release, Michael Fleming, Torc CEO stated “Torc has a history of collaborating with our partners who are experts in their field. 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.”

Follow Torc social media to keep apprised of TAAC news, autonomous trucking advancements, and more.