What you will do:
As a Vehicle Test Manager, you will own the vehicle-level test strategy for our L4 autonomous trucks: writing test cases that verify requirements on closed courses and public roads, and post-processing vehicle data from ground truth and on-board systems to assess performance. You will lead a team of test engineers responsible for the verification of vehicle-level requirements using industry-standard vehicle test equipment and internally developed analysis tools. Your work is critical to closing Torc’s safety case and ensuring the product meets performance expectations.

Define and implement the vehicle test strategy in accordance with relevant safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262, ISO 21448).
Lead and mentor a team of test engineers responsible for vehicle-level test case development and reporting.
Partner with systems engineering, software development, and test operations to establish vehicle verification and validation priorities.
Ensure requirement verifiability.
Drive scenario-based testing methods to scale coverage across the operational design domain.
Ensure the suitability and continuous improvement of vehicle test platforms and toolchains.
Manage test budgets, schedules, and resource allocation across multiple concurrent vehicle programs.
Prioritize testing using upstream test results to surgically address risks.
Communicate test status, risks, and recommendations to leadership to support program decisions.
Represent the vehicle test organization in program reviews, safety case reviews, and regulatory or customer audits.
Coordinate software tool qualification processes and stay current on emerging V&V technologies for autonomous driving.

What you’ll need to succeed:
Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field with 6+ years of experience, or a Master's degree with 4+ years of experience.

Proven experience managing vehicle-level testing for safety-critical products.
Demonstrated leadership experience building and developing technical teams.
Working knowledge of quality, safety, and security standards (ASPICE, ISO 26262, ISO 21448, or equivalent).
Experience with scenario-based verification and validation approaches for autonomous systems.
Experience with industry-standard certification testing such as EuroNCAP.
Strong analytical and data-driven problem-solving skills.
Experience processing vehicle data collected with ground truth equipment (e.g., high-precision GNSS/INS, LiDAR reference systems) used in ADAS/AV testing.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with cross-functional stakeholders.
Enthusiasm for tackling new challenges and applying state-of-the-art V&V approaches.

Hiring Range for Job Opening

US Pay Range

$160,800—$193,000 USD

US Pay Range 160800 - 193000 USD

About the company

Torc Robotics builds software for autonomous trucks, aiming to enable Level 4 self-driving capabilities for freight transport. They develop driving systems that let heavy trucks operate autonomously under certain conditions, and they work with truck manufacturers and fleet operators to bring these solutions to market. The company integrates sensors from partners (such as Luminar Technologies) and provides ongoing updates and support to ensure reliability and performance. Unlike more general AV players, Torc focuses on commercial trucking and leverages strategic partnerships (for example with Daimler Trucks) to integrate its software into production vehicles and fleets. Its goal is to improve road safety and freight efficiency by deploying scalable, commercial autonomous trucking solutions.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

M&A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Blacksburg, Virginia

Founded

2005

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Daimler Truck targets first commercial freight in 2027 and scaling in 2028.
Torc appointed CFO Tobias Wessels in May 2026, signaling commercialization discipline.
Michigan public-road testing expanded in February 2026, widening seasonal validation and engineering output.

What critics are saying

Teamsters sued California DMV in August 2026, threatening deployment timelines and permitting certainty.
Torc's headcount fell from 1,504 in 2024 to 1,275 in March 2026.
If 2027 public-road driver-out slips, Daimler Truck's autonomy roadmap loses commercial credibility.

What makes Torc Robotics unique

Daimler Truck owns Torc's chassis platform, sensors, and autonomy stack for factory-fit deployment.
Torc tested driver-out on Texas closed course in November 2024, then Michigan highways in 2026.
Torc joined Mila in May 2026, deepening AI research access for truck autonomy.

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Benefits

A competitive compensation package that includes a bonus component and stock options
100% paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees
401K plan with a 6% employer match
Flexibility in schedule and generous paid vacation (available immediately after start date)
Company-wide holiday office closures
AD+D and Life Insurance

Company News

FreightWaves

Sep 30th, 2026

Daimler Truck's bet on owning the entire autonomous truck system.

Daimler Truck's bet on owning the entire autonomous truck system. DTNA engineers the redundant truck and Torc the virtual driver, aiming for commercial freight in 2027 and scale in 2028. · Wednesday, September 30, 2026 HANNOVER, Germany - Daimler Truck CEO Karin Rådström broke driverless trucking into two requirements: a chassis with redundancy built into steering and braking, and software that can replace the driver. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) builds the first. Torc Robotics, Daimler Truck's independent autonomous-driving subsidiary, builds the second. "This setup differentiates us from any other player in the industry," Rådström said at Daimler Truck's Media Night, ahead of IAA Transportation 2026. "We're building the entire autonomous trucking system, from the truck platform and vehicle architecture to the hardware integration and also the autonomous driving software." Torc aims to run trucks on public roads with no safety driver in the cab before the end of the year, with first commercial freight operations in 2027 and plans to scale beginning in 2028. Torc has previously demonstrated driver-out capability: In November 2024, it completed driver-out validation on a multi-lane closed course in Texas at speeds up to 65 mph, according to Torc. Rådström called the public-road run "a major step towards commercialization." "For the first time, a Torc truck will be able to drive itself on public roads - not on a test track - and without a safety driver in the cab," she said. Why Daimler is starting in North America. The first driverless freight will run on long-haul lanes in North America. "Why North America? Why not Europe? Because trucks in the U.S. typically travel more than twice the distance every day compared to trucks in Europe, and believe it or not, driver shortages are even more difficult in the U.S. than they are in Europe," Rådström said. With Freightliner, the company is "the clear number one" in North American heavy-duty trucks, she said. Its Freightliner and Western Star brands held 37.8% of the North American Class 8 market through June, according to Daimler Truck's second-quarter investor presentation, which bases the figure on internal analysis. The company has sold more than 1 million Cascadias in the U.S. since the model's 2007 introduction, Rådström said. How DTNA and Torc split the work. "At Daimler Truck North America, we're developing the autonomous-ready truck platform with built-in redundancy for critical systems like steering and braking," Rådström said. "At Torc, we're developing the AI-driven autonomous system, including the perception, planning and driving capabilities that will operate the truck safely and efficiently within its intended operating domain." The split carries into the supply chain, Rådström said in a sideline interview with media in Hanover: Torc specifies the sensors and what it needs, and DTNA's global purchasing organization supports purchasing, supplier management and setting up the industrial flow. "It's a collaboration, actually," she said. Factory-Fit hardware for autonomous trucks. Daimler wants the autonomy hardware installed when the truck is built. "It's really adding the sensor suite and the compute, which we want to be able to do factory-fit," Rådström said. "We think that's one of our strong points compared to some competitors." That work will start in plants Daimler already runs. DTNA announced plans on Aug. 6 for a new U.S. manufacturing plant, with construction set to begin in late 2026 and production in 2029. Torc's scaling target lands a year earlier. "We've actually prepared some of our existing network to do that, because the SOP and when we start scaling, it could be that that happens even before the new plant is actually fully operational," Rådström said. Torc's three-phase path to driver-out. "The big target right now, and what the team is fully focused on, is getting to driver-out on public roads," Rådström said. The program begins with a three-phase crawl-walk-run approach, she said. Through the end of the year, Torc plans to expand that step by step to more hours of operation and more road conditions. ̃ "If that works, we are obviously even more confident that we have a good path to start production and really scaling," she said. DTNA supplies the trucks for Torc's test fleets, Rådström said. "Provided that works, I think during 2027 it's really about closing all those edge cases that aren't covered by the crawl-walk-run, getting everything production-ready, and starting with a small number of trucks to do commercial freight, and then going into '28 to be really ready to scale the operation," she said. Upcoming FreightWaves Events Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry. October 26, 2026 The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo - Chattanooga, TN F3 Awards Dinner The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room. October 26, 2026 The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo - Chattanooga, TN FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals. October 27, 2026 - October 28, 2026 The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo - Chattanooga, TN

Robotics & Automation News

Sep 25th, 2026

Edge Case launches Guardian, an AI-driven safety intelligence platform for autonomous systems.

Edge Case launches Guardian, an AI-driven safety intelligence platform for autonomous systems. Discover more AI Robotics Kits Manufacturing Automation Solutions Source Industrial Parts Edge Case, a safety intelligence company for autonomous and complex systems, launched Guardian, an AI-driven platform that connects safety analysis, engineering data, and operational signals to give teams a continuous understanding of how system risk evolves. At launch, Guardian will support some of the world's most advanced autonomous platforms, with six customer agreements already signed across both commercial and defense. Torc Robotics has become the first publicly announced commercial partner for Guardian. Torc is working to commercialize self-driving trucks for long-haul freight operations, and Guardian is providing earlier insight into the safety profile of its autonomous trucking system during the design phase. Guardian builds on Edge Case's decades of experience in safety engineering and its work with organizations developing and deploying autonomous and complex systems. The platform reflects what the company has learned through that work, bringing its deep safety expertise into software that can scale with its customers. Discover more Robotic Process Automation Automation Consulting Service Nathan Parker, CEO of Edge Case, says: "Complex systems operate in environments where risk is constantly changing, whether that's an autonomous vehicle or a defense platform in the field. "We built Guardian to give teams a continuous system-level understanding of risk, so issues surface when teams still have the best opportunity to act." Turning safety evidence into continuous intelligence. Safety development programs have a long list of requirements, including system designs, hazard analyses, test artifacts, and safety claims. Guardian brings these inputs together in a Digital Safety Twin, a living model of the system that helps teams: * Connect safety analysis, engineering information, and system behavior in one system-level view * Identify how changes in software, hardware, or design may affect system risk * Generate and review safety artifacts with source-linked evidence * Track hazards, mitigations, and supporting evidence across the development lifecycle * Give safety, engineering, and program teams a shared basis for informed decisions By shifting safety from a one time review to a continuous capability, Guardian is designed to help organizations identify issues earlier and keep their safety case current as their systems evolve. Supporting the path to autonomous operations. Spanning defense and commercial autonomy, Guardian provides earlier insight into a system's safety profile during design. This allows teams to identify and address hazards as they make design decisions, before those risks become harder and more expensive to fix. A hazard found during design can be addressed easily, while a problem discovered after deployment could affect an entire fleet. Guardian helps teams find risks early, when they still have the time and flexibility to make thoughtful engineering decisions.

Truck News

May 25th, 2026

Trucking announcements: Wessels named CFO at Torc; vps hired at Di-Mond, Harbor Logistics.

Trucking announcements: Wessels named CFO at Torc; vps hired at Di-Mond, Harbor Logistics. Each week, trucknews.com lists notable events, promotions and awards in the trucking industry. This week, Torc Robotics named Tobias Wessels its chief financial officer (CFO) and Phillips 66 appointed Greg Hayes as lead independent director. Di-Mond Trailers and Truck Bodies has hired Dave Steane vice president of sales, while Harbor Logistics welcomed two new members to its leadership team, adding Park Williams as senior vice president of sales, and Jeff Martin as vice president of transportation. Torc Robotics names Wessels as CFO. Torc Robotics has named Tobias Wessels as CFO as the company continues preparing for commercial deployment of Level 4 autonomous trucks in the U.S., according to a news release. He brings more than 20 years of financial and operational leadership experience across the autonomous vehicle, AI and technology sectors. Before joining Torc, Wessels served as chief development officer at Helm.ai, where he oversaw finance, corporate development and international expansion efforts, including partnerships with Volkswagen Group. He also previously served as chief corporate development officer at autonomous delivery company Udelv and earlier worked as CFO of X, Alphabet's moonshot development division, where he helped support projects that later evolved into Waymo. "Tobias brings a rare combination of deep technical understanding and financial rigor, shaped by experience at the forefront of autonomy and AI," said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO of Torc. "As we continue to scale our operations, his leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our financial strategy, enhancing operational discipline, and positioning Torc for long-term success." Phillips 66 appoints lead independent director. Greg Hayes has been appointed as lead independent director of Phillips 66's board of directors, the company announced after the retirement of Glenn Tilton and Marna Whittington from the board. Hayes succeeds Tilton, who previously served as lead independent director, and Doug Terreson will succeed Whittington as chairman of the audit and finance committee. "We are pleased to have Greg step into the role of Lead Independent Director," said Mark Lashier, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. "His distinguished leadership experience and deep knowledge of Phillips 66 position him well for this responsibility." Di-Mond welcomes vice president of sales. Canadian trailer manufacturer Di-Mond Trailers and Truck Bodies has named Dave Steane vice president of sales. In this role, Stane will oversee sales operations and distribution channels across North America as the company looks to expand its footprint. Prior to joining Di-Mond, he served as regional sales manager at OrangeEV, where he worked on sustainability-focused transportation sales and account management. Stane also spent seven years with Peterbilt as an account manager in Mississauga, Ont. Earlier in his career, he served as specialist, truck and equipment, at Element Fleet Management, among other roles in the industry. Overall, he brings more than 30 years of transportation experience to the new role. "We are thrilled to welcome Dave to our executive team. Dave's deep industry experience and proven track record of scaling teams make him the perfect fit as we enter our next phase of expansion," said Chris Di Lillo, CEO of Di-Mond, in the release. Harbor Logistics hires VPs of transportation, sales. Harbor Logistics has appointed two transportation and supply chain executives to its leadership team, naming Park Williams senior vice president of sales and Jeff Martin vice president of transportation. Williams will lead enterprise sales, revenue development and customer growth initiatives across Harbor's service portfolio. He brings more than 20 years of experience in logistics, supply chain strategy and business development, previously holding sales and operations roles with Mallory Alexander, GXO Logistics and PSA BDP, where he led business development and sales efforts across North and Latin America. Martin, meanwhile, joins the company with experience in leading transportation and fleet operations across multiple industries, the company said in the release. In his new role, he will oversee Harbor's transportation operations, including compliance, operational performance, driver development and network growth. Prior to joining the company, Martin held leadership positions with Kenan Advantage Group, Trimac Transportation, Maines Paper & Foodservice, Rite Aid and Panera Bread. He managed multi-site transportation networks, led operational integrations and implemented performance initiatives throughout his career. "Park and Jeff each bring a tremendous depth of operational and industry experience that aligns well with where Harbor Logistics is headed as a company," said Scott Auslund, CEO of Harbor Logistics, in the release. "Park has a strong track record of building relationships and a practical, end-to-end understanding of customer supply chain challenges, while Jeff has consistently led complex transportation operations with a focus on performance, safety and team development. We're excited to welcome both of them to Harbor." Krystyna Shchedrina's work has been focusing on transportation and logistics since 2022, and she is an honors graduate of the journalism bachelor program at Humber College. Reach Krystyna at: [email protected] Have your say This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

Metric Media LLC

May 19th, 2026

Ann Arbor SPARK honors regional leaders and companies at annual meeting awards ceremony.

Ann Arbor SPARK honors regional leaders and companies at annual meeting awards ceremony. May 19, 2026 Nearly 400 business, government, academic, and community leaders gathered at Eastern Michigan University's Student Center for Ann Arbor SPARK's Annual Meeting on May 19. The event recognized individuals and organizations whose leadership has helped shape economic opportunity in Washtenaw County and the greater Ann Arbor region. The gathering highlighted Ann Arbor SPARK's achievements in entrepreneurship, business growth, talent development, and regional investment during 2025. Five awards were presented to honor contributions across multiple areas of the local economy. Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK, said: "This event is an opportunity to reflect on the partnerships, innovation, and leadership that continue to move our region forward. This year's honorees represent the very best of what makes the Ann Arbor region unique - visionary leadership, entrepreneurial success, industry innovation, and a deep commitment to building opportunity for others." Michael Cole received Volunteer of the Year for his long-standing service supporting startups through roles such as President of the Technology Industry Group at Bank of Ann Arbor and involvement with organizations like Ann Arbor Angels. Akadeum Life Sciences was named Entrepreneurial Services Company of the Year for its work developing cell separation technologies used by researchers worldwide. Torc Robotics earned Business Development Project of the Year after expanding its engineering operations focused on artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles in Washtenaw County. The Economic Impact Award went to American Center for Mobility (ACM) as it marks its tenth anniversary operating a major connected vehicle testing campus at Willow Run in Ypsilanti Township. Don Remboski accepted ACM's award alongside Governor Rick Snyder. Dr. Stephen Forrest received the Legend Award recognizing his role as former University of Michigan Vice President for Research and as a founding board chair who helped establish Ann Arbor SPARK. Attendees also heard from keynote speaker Julie Wagner from The Global Institute on Innovation Districts about global competitiveness strategies. A tribute honored Dick Sarns' legacy as one of Ann Arbor's earliest technology entrepreneurs whose innovations impacted heart surgery practices globally. Sponsors supporting this year's event included the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, DTE, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Toyota.

Torc Robotics

May 14th, 2026

ACT Expo 2026 recap: two Torc trucks are better than one.

ACT Expo 2026 recap: two Torc trucks are better than one. ACT Expo 2026 once again brought together the most influential voices in commercial transportation in Las Vegas. As North America's largest advanced transportation technology event, the May 4-7 event served as a key meeting point where innovation, policy, and real-world deployment converged. Torc trucks were front in center in not one booth, but two. Penske Transportation Solutions and Torc's parent company, Daimler Truck, were both event presenting sponsors, and each took the opportunity to showcase Torc autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia vehicles, featuring TorcDrive, in their booths. "I think the hurdles have shifted," said Peter Vaughan Schmidt, Torc CEO, during the Virtual Driver Revolutionizing Trucking and Logistics panel on Tuesday, May 5. "In the past, it was really proving that your technology is really working. And as things come together both with compute and with range and end to end AI, I think the real hurdle is proving to customers that it seamlessly fits and provides a better fit for them - that you can run autonomous trucks from point to point, not just hub to hub." Watch the full session here: "We are the only ones that actually run on production-intent hardware and software. That's needed for scale... at low cost, high quality and high volume," said Peter. "That's our race to produce a safe and scalable product for our customers." The 2026 event spotlighted the technologies shaping the future of fleets, including autonomous vehicles, battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and near-zero emissions solutions, along with the infrastructure and software required to scale them. Industry leaders, OEMs, fleet operators, utilities, and policymakers shared insights focused on accelerating the transition to cleaner, more efficient transportation. Beyond the exhibit hall, ACT Expo 2026 offered in-depth educational sessions covering total cost of ownership, charging and fueling strategies, regulatory updates, and real-world case studies from fleets already leading the transition. With collaboration and innovation at its core, ACT Expo 2026 helped fleets conceptualize and jumpstart the move from ambition to action, and Torc was there as a physical representation of that action, twice over.