Autonomous trucking firm Torc Robotics has teamed up with Pittsburgh-based technology firm Edge Case to enhance the safety framework of its Level 4 driverless trucks, supporting plans for commercial deployment by 2027.
The collaboration focuses on independent safety assessments of Torc’s Driverless Safety Case Framework and Evidence Sufficiency Criteria. Edge Case will evaluate the framework against Autonomous Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC) Best Practices and Open Autonomy Safety Case guidance, ensuring compliance with recognized industry standards.
The partnership involves detailed assessments, reporting, and collaborative reviews with Torc’s safety, engineering, and operations teams. The effort is designed to streamline development, provide a structured and transparent safety case, and prepare Torc’s autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. freight market.
Torc Senior Director of Safety Assurance Jerry Lopez said Edge Case’s expertise across multiple autonomy segments makes them an ideal partner as the company moves toward production readiness. Torc, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, has been developing autonomous vehicle software and integration solutions for long-haul trucking since 2005, with additional facilities in Austin, Texas, Montreal, Canada, and a fleet operations hub in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Edge Case’s DevSafeOps methodology will help digitize safety workflows, enabling Torc to generate defensible safety cases and accelerate its path to market. The companies aim to ensure that Torc’s driverless trucks meet the highest safety standards before their anticipated 2027 commercial launch.
