SHERIDAN, WYOMING – April 20, 2025 - Daimler Truck North America kicks off deliveries of cutting-edge autonomous-ready trucks to Torc Robotics
Daimler Truck North America has initiated delivery of its latest highway trucks to the autonomous testing fleet of Torc Robotics, a Daimler Truck subsidiary. These new vehicles are based on the fifth-generation Freightliner Cascadia, introduced in 2024, and are purpose-built with safety and autonomy in mind.
Delivering the next milestone in autonomous trucking
Advanced safety systems and production-ready autonomy hardware lead the charge
“Delivering the latest iteration of our autonomous-ready vehicle platform, including production-intent autonomy hardware, to Torc marks a significant milestone for Daimler Truck toward series maturity and scaling,” said Joanna Buttler, head of the autonomous technology group at Daimler Truck.
Designed for SAE Level 4 autonomous driving, the new Freightliner Cascadia incorporates built-in redundancy for safety-critical functions such as braking and steering. With over 1,500 engineering requirements integrated into its design, the truck sets a new benchmark in autonomous systems integration. Daimler Truck has also added features like a secondary set of electronically controlled systems and an integrated power network to support the technology stack.
Efficiency, innovation, and scalability at the forefront
Equipped for today’s needs and tomorrow’s autonomous capabilities
The fifth-generation Class 8 truck boasts major upgrades including the Detroit Assurance Suite of Safety Systems, an intelligent braking control system, and dual-stage intelligent LED headlights. Its fuel efficiency has improved by over 35% compared to the first Cascadia model released in 2007. During manufacturing, Daimler Truck installs computer and sensor kits, ensuring the trucks are ready for Torc’s virtual driver system upon delivery.
Expanding the testing footprint across key U.S. freight corridors
New autonomous lane in Texas enhances real-world testing capabilities
With current testing routes in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona, Torc Robotics will soon operate these trucks in autonomous mode on a newly established lane between Laredo and Dallas via I-35. This route is supported by a recently announced leasing agreement for an autonomous hub in the Dallas Fort Worth area. The hub will serve as the primary site for testing, pilot programs with freight customers, and future commercialization efforts.
Building a scalable and transformative solution for the freight industry
Long-term collaboration with sights set on 2027 market entry
“Our strong collaboration with Daimler Truck represents six years of success in advancing the future of freight. Fully integrating Torc’s autonomous driver with Daimler Truck’s Freightliner Cascadia platform creates an industry-first, scalable, physical-AI autonomous trucking solution. This will unlock tremendous value for our customers by addressing key industry pain points, and presents a clear opportunity to generate revenue and drive meaningful transformation across the industry,” said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc.
Daimler Truck and Torc are targeting 2027 for the commercial launch of SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks in the U.S. market. These vehicles will be capable of fully autonomous operation between freight hubs, marking a transformative step in logistics and long-haul transportation.
For more information, visit Daimler Truck’s official site.