10 Groundbreaking Insights on Level 4 Autonomous Trucks: Torc Robotics and C.R. England Collaborate

Dec 17, 2023

Torc Robotics, the independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, is at the forefront of the self-driving vehicle revolution.

In a noteworthy development, Torc Robotics, a pioneering subsidiary of Daimler Truck that specializes in self-driving vehicle technology, and C.R. England, a prominent name in the transport industry, have joined forces. The partnership focuses on testing Level 4 Autonomous Trucks.

Trucks with Level 4 autonomy possess the capability to navigate fully autonomously in specific conditions, without the requirement for human intervention or assistance. This advanced level of vehicle autonomy is set to revolutionize the freight transportation industry.

Torc and C.R. England have laid out plans for a pilot program, leveraging C.R. England's temperature-controlled loads and Torc's fleet of Level 4 autonomous test trucks for long-haul applications. The joint venture will provide select customers with temperature-controlled capacity using the test trucks.

This strategic collaboration serves as a significant expansion for Torc, as it aims to support carriers in the refrigerated freight market. The knowledge gained from the pilot will guide the development and ongoing commercialization of autonomous trucks for long-haul applications.

According to a recent news release, initial planning will commence mid-year, with on-road tests following shortly after.

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Torc's mission: To reduce highway deaths, ensure critical supplies reach all communities, and increase the transportation industry's efficiency.

C.R. England's CEO, Chad England: "This partnership with Torc will enhance the quality of existing driver jobs."

C.R. England's Chief Executive, Chad England, believes this innovative step could greatly enhance the existing driver jobs and expand their network safely while maintaining high service levels to their customers.

By adding autonomous lanes to their network, C.R. England can broaden their customer offerings and create more structured jobs for drivers at both ends of autonomous runs. The deep integration of Torc with Daimler Truck AG makes their two organizations an ideal fit for piloting this new truck automation technology.

Interestingly, the pilot program with C.R. England is Torc's second announced carrier pilot. This news comes shortly after Torc's acquisition of Algolux, a company known for its intellectual property and expertise in computer vision and machine learning.

The acquisition of Algolux strengthens Torc's position in the realm of self-driving technology. It paves the way for enhancing the machine learning capabilities of their Level 4 Autonomous Trucks.

With the strategic collaboration between Torc Robotics and C.R. England, the future of long-haul applications and temperature-controlled freight transportation is looking promising. As we look forward to the outcomes of the pilot program, it's clear that this strategic collaboration between Torc Robotics and C.R. England on Level 4 Autonomous Trucks promises to reshape the future of long-haul applications and temperature-controlled freight transportation. With both companies’ impressive track records and commitment to innovation, the industry eagerly awaits the outcomes of the pilot program and the eventual commercialization of this groundbreaking technology.

10 key insights from the partnership between Torc Robotics and C.R. England:

Peter Vaughan Schmidt: ‘Torc is thrilled to be partnering with C.R. England to better improve long-haul trucking safety…

Torc Robotics, with 17 years of experience, is advancing safety-critical, self-driving applications.

Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications.

The company is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Stuttgart, Germany. Its mission includes:

Torc's CEO, Peter Vaughan Schmidt, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, "Torc is thrilled to be partnering with C.R. England to better improve long-haul trucking safety for one of the premium service providers and largest refrigerated carriers in the nation. The data derived from the pilot will contribute to our safety and validation efforts and use cases for autonomous trucking."​

C.R. England: A premier transportation provider in North America, known for its excellence in various services.

C.R. England, founded in 1920, is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, and is one of North America's premier transportation providers. The company is an industry leader in Dedicated, Over-The-Road, cross-border Mexico, Intermodal, and Logistics services.

C.R. England has been regularly recognized for management excellence. This year, the company was recognized by Newsweek as one of ‘America's Greatest Workplaces for Women,’ and ‘America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity.’ Additionally, C.R. England was recently honored by The Wall Street Journal as a ‘US Best Managed Company,’ by Glassdoor with their ‘Top Places to Work’ award, and by Achievers with their ‘50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ Award.’

C.R. England is committed to giving back to the community by fighting childhood hunger. With each load delivered, the company feeds a child, with the goal of feeding one million children per year.

C.R. England's CEO, Chad England, shared his excitement about the partnership, stating, "C.R. England is excited to announce our partnership with Torc for pilot activities on level 4 autonomous test trucks. We believe this innovation will eventually provide the ability to expand our network safely, with high levels of service to our customers, all while enhancing the quality of existing driver jobs"​​.

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