Buckle up, because big things are happening at Torc Robotics! The self-driving truck pioneer is gearing up for a game-changing year as they shift into the production phase of their autonomous trucks. This exciting next step involves relocating their on-road testing to Texas, while also launching a shiny new autonomous vehicle development hub in Michigan.
From Vision to Reality
Founded back in 2005, when self-driving vehicles were more science fiction than reality, Torc has spent nearly two decades perfecting safety-critical autonomous tech. They’re laser-focused on bringing self-driving trucks to the U.S. long-haul market, offering a complete software and integration solution to make it happen.
With Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) as their development partner and majority owner, Torc has locked down production specs and is now testing the final stages of their driverless truck system.
The Big Expansion: Michigan & Texas
Torc’s roadmap is leading them to two strategic hotspots:
Ann Arbor, Michigan – A hub for transportation engineering talent and innovation.
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas – The gateway to a key test route on Interstate 35 between Dallas and Laredo.
As they ramp up, Torc is winding down operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with plans to shift resources to Dallas. The company is hiring big-time, with over 100 new positions in both Ann Arbor and Dallas.
No Driver, No Problem
Earlier this year, Torc hit a milestone: testing their autonomous trucks at highway speeds (105 km/h) without a driver on a multi-lane closed course. The trucks passed with flying colours, demonstrating the reliability of their system and setting the stage for large-scale production.
“Our trucks performed flawlessly, thanks to Torc’s integrated platform running on Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia” — Peter Vaughan Schmidt
With validated Level 4 (L4) autonomous capabilities, Torc’s platform is ready to scale. Their safety engineering, AI tech, and production-ready hardware are all coming together for their 2027 commercial launch.
From Cool Tech to a Scalable Business
“We’ve always been methodical about growth,” said Andrew Culhane, Chief Commercial Officer at Torc Robotics. “We’re not just building cool technology—we’re building a scalable, profitable business.”
Torc’s production-ready trucks feature factory-built, fully redundant hardware from DTNA, alongside end-to-end validated software.
Testing on I-35: Real-World Trials
The next big test? Running driverless trucks along Interstate 35 with key fleet partners. While they haven’t revealed which companies will be first in line, Torc has strong ties with industry heavyweights like Schneider and C.R. England.
By 2027, Torc plans to launch fully driverless operations on the Dallas-to-Laredo freight lane. If you’re cruising I-35, keep an eye out for sleek Freightliner Cascadias with Torc’s cutting-edge autonomous systems—they’ll be hard to miss!
Curious to learn more? Check out the full story on Forbes: Torc Begins Testing Of Production-Intent Driverless Trucks InTexas.
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