BLACKSBURG, Va – Jan. 7, 2024 – Torc, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG and a pioneer in commercializing self-driving vehicle technology, today announced the company has signed a leasing agreement for a facility located in Hillwood’s AllianceTexas development that will serve as Torc’s autonomous truck hub in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The new location will be a hub for Torc’s autonomous testing efforts, customer freight pilots, and future commercialization slated for 2027.
The site will feature a customer experience center, offices, and dedicated control centers for fleet management and operations. Well into productization, Torc’s expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area positions the company for the next phase of autonomous driving and provides a strategic advantage due to its proximity to a major freight route between Dallas and Laredo, Texas, on Interstate 35. Laredo is the largest economic port of entry in the US, with more than 15,000 truck crossings per day and $320B in total trade last year, opening up a prime opportunity for Torc’s growth.
“Establishing our presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a key region for the future of autonomous trucking, is a critical milestone for Torc,” commented Peter Vaughan Schmidt, CEO. “This new hub will enable us to better serve our current and future customers, enhance our operational capabilities, and drive forward the adoption of autonomous technology in the logistics industry. As we work toward commercialization, the new hub will give us access to talent, resources and routes that we didn’t previously have, and we’re excited about the growth opportunities ahead.”
“Opening our Dallas Fort Worth hub is a testament to the incredible progress Torc has made. This new hub not only expands our operational footprint but also reinforces our commitment to advancing autonomous technology,” said Andrew Culhane, Chief Commercial Officer for Torc. “This comes on the heels of the successful product acceptance test validation of our autonomous trucks without a driver in a multi-lane, closed-course, highway-speed environment, further showcasing our dedication to the highest safety and product maturity standards. As we continue through the productization phase of our development cycle, we are excited about the future and the opportunities this new hub opens up.”
“We are excited to welcome Torc to AllianceTexas. This collaboration highlights Hillwood’s commitment to fostering mobility innovation and building a more resilient supply chain ecosystem with industry-leading technology, reliable infrastructure, and forward-thinking customers,” said Ian Kinne, Director of Logistics Innovation at Hillwood. “The strategic location of this hub along the critical freight corridor of Interstate 35 is a testament to some of the unique advantages of AllianceTexas. Torc’s presence here will further drive innovation, enhance connectivity, and provide significant value to our customers as we work toward a more efficient and connected future in logistics.”
The hub will be located at 13119 Old Denton Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76177, and Torc plans to start occupying the new space early this year. The new site includes an 18-acre facility and 22,000 square feet of office space. The facility will be built out over the first half of 2025, ensuring it complies with the standards required for autonomous vehicle operations.
Announced in late 2024, Torc is also expanding its workforce in the Ann Arbor, Mich., area, where it plans to hire more than 100 positions in the coming months.
