Torc plans to launch fully driverless, commercial autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. by 2027. | Source: Torc
Torc Robotics, a developer of self-driving Class 8 trucks, today announced a new collaboration with safety technology provider Edge Case. The company said this will support its mission to commercialize Level 4 autonomous trucks.
Blacksburg, Va.-based Torc said Edge Case will help it ensure that its driverless safety case aligns with the applicable AVSC Best Practices and guidance from the Open Autonomy Safety Case (OASC). “This alignment will result in a more streamlined, well-structured, safety case that improves clarity, accelerates development, and enhances cross-functional review,” said the partners.
“Edge Case brings world-class expertise in building rigorous and comprehensive safety programs,” stated Jerry Lopez, senior director of safety assurance at Torc. “Their leadership and experience across multiple autonomy segments make them an ideal partner as we move toward production readiness.”
Edge Case to conduct independent assessment
This initiative will focus on a series of independent assessments of Torc’s Driverless Safety Case Framework and Evidence Sufficiency Criteria. The company said this will show its commitment to safety and independent validation in preparation for production and commercialization.
Looking ahead, Edge Case plans to independently conduct an assessment of completed safety case evidence. It will include detailed reports and collaborative review sessions with Torc’s safety, engineering and operations teams.
“This partnership with Torc represents a pivotal step forward in advancing autonomous trucking safety,” said Nathan Parker, CEO of Edge Case. “By leveraging our deep experience across autonomy domains, we’re helping ensure that Torc’s safety case is not only rigorous and transparent, but also production-ready for real-world deployment.”
Pittsburgh-based Edge Case supports industry leaders across automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, and AI as they design, build, and deploy complex, critical systems. The company claimed that its expertise in autonomy, functional safety, and systems engineering allow it to help teams navigate evolving regulatory landscapes and operational risk.
Using the DevSafeOps methodology, Edge Case said it enables organizations to digitize safety workflows, generate defensible safety cases, and accelerate readiness for launch.
Torc makes safety a top priority
This announcement comes on the heels of Torc’s recent appointment of Steve Kenner as chief safety officer and its ongoing prioritization of safety through integrated, cross-functional collaboration.
Blacksburg, Va.-based Torc was founded in 2005 and has worked on safety-critical, self-driving applications for 20 years. The company is working toward a complete autonomous vehicle software and integration. Its current focus is on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S.
In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters, Torc has engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Montreal, Canada. A fleet operations facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas supports the company’s productization and commercialization efforts. It also has a presence in Ann Arbor, Mich., because of the autonomous and automotive talent base in that region.
