Torc Robotics

Torc Robotics is an autonomous-trucking company founded in 2005 by Virginia Tech graduate students, led by Michael Fleming, and based in Blacksburg, Virginia. In 2019 Daimler Trucks acquired a majority stake but Torc has continued to operate as an independent subsidiary, keeping its name, team, customers, and facilities, with Peter Vaughan Schmidt serving as CEO since October 2022. Torc develops a Level 4 self-driving system for the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia, targeting hub-to-hub long-haul freight, and has run driver-out validation testing in Texas. The company has said it expects to operate without a driver on public Texas highways in 2026 ahead of a planned commercial launch around 2027, and works with logistics partners and suppliers including Innoviz for series-production lidar.