Skip to main content

Daimler Trucks acquires majority stake in Torc Robotics

Daimler Trucks has acquired a majority stake in Torc Robotics in a bid to commercialise highly automated trucks operating at SAE Level 4 on US roads. Roger Nielsen, CEO of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), says: “Torc’s Level 4 system has been shown to operate well for both urban and highway driving in rain, snow, fog, and sunshine.” Martin Daum, member of the board of management at Daimler, says the deal will combine the company’s truck hardware with Torc’s “agile software development”. Torc i
April 11, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

2069 Daimler Trucks has acquired a majority stake in Torc Robotics in a bid to commercialise highly automated trucks operating at 567 SAE Level 4 on US roads.

Roger Nielsen, CEO of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), says: “Torc’s Level 4 system has been shown to operate well for both urban and highway driving in rain, snow, fog, and sunshine.”

Martin Daum, member of the board of management at Daimler, says the deal will combine the company’s truck hardware with Torc’s “agile software development”.

Torc is expected to work closely with DTNA’s research and development team in Portland, Oregon, where DTNA focuses on further evolving automated driving technology and vehicle integration for heavy-duty trucks.

Torc will continue to develop its Asimov self-driving software and testing at its facility in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The company will retain its name, team, existing customers and facilities in Blacksburg. The closing of the deal is subject to approval from US authorities.

Related Content

  • March 20, 2019
    ZF acquires 60% stake in 2getthere
    ZF Friedrichshafen has acquired a 60% share of 2getthere, the Dutch provider of automated electric passenger transport systems. The deal is expected to strengthen ZF’s position in providing Mobility as a Service solutions, autonomous transport systems and shared autonomous vehicles. 2getthere’s applications range from driverless electric transport systems at airports to dedicated urban transport infrastructures. The company also has offices in San Francisco, Dubai and Singapore. Carel C. van Hel
  • May 20, 2015
    Daimler debuts autonomous truck on US roads
    Daimler Trucks has become the world’s first manufacturer to be granted a road licence for an autonomous heavy-duty truck. The state of Nevada licensed two Freightliner Inspiration trucks for regular operation on public roads. The first journey in the Freightliner Inspiration truck equipped with the intelligent Highway Pilot system for autonomous driving took place on US highway 15 in Las Vegas.
  • March 14, 2023
    Watch your step: the sidewalk robots are here
    The way we order and pay for goods has changed radically – but what about how those goods are delivered? Gordon Feller looks at how sidewalk robots might reshape the urban landscape
  • April 12, 2022
    Bosch buys AV specialist Five
    Testing platform gives engineers programs they need to create automated driving software