Daimler Truck North America has handed over its latest autonomous-ready truck platform, built on the Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia, to Torc Robotics as part of its ongoing effort to bring SAE Level 4 autonomous driving to U.S. highways by 2027. The trucks, designed for scalable series production, are now being tested across key freight corridors including a newly added route between Laredo and Dallas, Texas.
The updated Cascadia platform features redundant safety systems such as dual braking and steering, supporting its capability for driverless operation. It incorporates more than 1,500 engineering requirements tailored for autonomous use, with the latest hardware and computing units installed during production. Torc, a Daimler Truck subsidiary, will integrate its proprietary virtual driver software into the platform.
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Torc is also expanding its testing infrastructure with a new autonomous trucking hub in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This facility is intended to support ongoing freight pilots and commercial readiness as the program advances. Testing is already underway on major transport corridors in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona, with the addition of the Laredo-Dallas route offering new insights from a high-density freight path.
The Freightliner Cascadia has demonstrated a 35% fuel economy improvement since its initial launch in 2007, adding cost efficiency to its performance portfolio. The autonomous-ready model also includes advanced features such as the Detroit Assurance Suite, Intelligent Braking Control, and Dual Stage LED Headlights. The powertrain-agnostic platform ensures compatibility with various drive systems, supporting broad commercial applications.
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Daimler Truck and Torc’s six-year partnership is aimed at developing safe and scalable autonomous trucking solutions to help address ongoing challenges such as driver shortages and safety concerns. The companies are leveraging AI, real-world testing, and modular production design to position themselves at the forefront of commercial autonomous freight transportation.