Daimler Truck subsidiary, Torc Robotics, based in Virginia, confirmed plans to open a technology and software development center in Stuttgart, Germany, according to a press release.
"Collaboration thrives because of the partnership with Daimler Truck, a leader in the trucking industry,” Torc vice president of engineering, Mike Avitabile, said in the release. "Combining Daimler Truck's experience with Torc's expertise in automated vehicle software and automated truck systems will help accelerate bringing our product to market."
The opening will allow the company to further advance its SAE Level 4 self-driving vehicle software technology for heavy-duty vehicles by collaborating with local talent in the region, considered significant for the automotive development industry. The company is specifically hiring software engineers, data scientists and architects specializing in systems, safety, validation and product development.
"Stuttgart is known as an area with a wealth of automotive and autonomous vehicle expertise,” Avitabile said in the release. “We hope to leverage this significant talent pool to meet our commercialization goals and support our mission of increased safety and efficiency.”
According to a press release, the new establishment derived from the collaboration between Daimler Truck and Torc, who are pursuing the common achievement of developing autonomous trucks for long-haul trucking. The technology center spanning an 18,000-square-foot technology center and an additional 12,000 square feet will serve as a workshop for the joint venture.
"Torc is working closely with Daimler Truck to optimize the entire product stack, including the virtual driver, sensing and computer hardware, and the redundant chassis to be the first company to launch a scalable and profitable self-driving product," Torc Founder and CEO Michael Fleming said in the release. "Torc's Stuttgart technology and software development center will leverage the deep automotive and trucking technical and product expertise to make this a reality."
Daimler Truck’s efforts to contribute to the development dates back to 2019, when the company invested a majority share in Torc. The venture hopes to continue strengthening its simulation and machine learning infrastructure, and overall testing and development in the United States. Its international expansion follows recent openings in Austin, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“This pure-play approach is directed at solving what Fleming calls 'one of the most complex engineering feats of our generation,'” the press release stated. “The challenge is to reinvent the truck to accommodate a safe, scalable Level 4 product, while integrating with the complex, interconnected freight network to support sustained innovation and efficiency.”