Torc Robotics, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck, has successfully completed its first driverless test of an electric truck in the United States without a safety driver or operator on board. The test, conducted on a multi-lane closed course in Texas, demonstrated the capabilities of the autonomous Freightliner eCascadia, based on the North American series model and powered by Torc’s proprietary autonomous driving software.
The truck reached speeds of up to 65 mph (105 km/h), completing the route without human intervention. Torc Robotics views this achievement as a crucial step in its goal to scale and commercialize autonomous trucking solutions by 2027. “This is a key moment in our mission to build a profitable, scalable business as the world’s leading autonomous solution,” said Torc CEO Peter Vaughan Schmidt. The company observed impressive reliability during repeated driverless runs, with the Freightliner eCascadia serving as the platform for Torc’s integrated autonomous driving technology.
Joanna Buttler, Head of the Autonomous Technology Group at Daimler Truck, also hailed the achievement, calling the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia “an industry-first” with its redundant safety features. She emphasized the significance of this milestone in the path toward large-scale autonomous trucking. Torc Robotics has been testing the technology on public roads since 2021 and, as of now, is conducting real-world trials with logistics companies like Schneider and C.R. England on routes between Phoenix and Oklahoma City.
Earlier in 2024, Torc Robotics began integrating autonomous capabilities into the battery-electric Freightliner Cascadia, marking a major step toward bringing autonomous electric trucks to the U.S. market by 2027.
