autonomous systems Archives - Virginia Business

Torc to acquire Canadian computer vision firm

Blacksburg-based Torc Robotics on Tuesday announced it will acquire Montreal-based computer vision company Algolux Inc.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

Torc, a self-driving truck company, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG. Torc said in a news release that it is acquiring Algolux for its expertise in computer vision and machine learning. Algolux focuses on machine learning tools and AI software products to advance driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicles.

“Algolux’s technology, at the intersection of deep learning, computer vision and computational imaging, will help Torc strengthen key capabilities toward our commercialization of Level 4 autonomous trucking,” Torc CEO Peter Vaughan Schmidt said in a statement.

Torc has worked with Algolux for more than a year on multiple perception concepts and methods to improve object detection and distance estimation, while evaluating synergies between the two companies. Perception technology is key to helping Torc’s autonomous system correctly identify objects in challenging conditions including low light, fog, or inclement weather. Algolux software is currently operating on initial Freightliner Cascadia test vehicles and is being included in Torc’s software development.

“Torc shares in our commitment to create robust technology to realize the potential of autonomy and help save lives, which is one of the many reasons why joining forces makes sense for our teams, ” Algolux President and CEO Allan Benchetrit said in a statement. “Algolux’s established team with deep expertise in artificial intelligence/machine learning talent and perception complements Torc’s already experienced engineering team.”

Algolux is headquartered in Montreal with offices in Palo Alto, California, and Munich, Germany. The transaction will close after the parties complete pre-closing activities, including required approvals.

Last week, Torc announced it hired Michelle Chaka as senior vice president overseeing safety and regulatory matters.

Torc names regulatory, safety SVP

Blacksburg-based Torc Robotics has named Michelle Chaka as senior vice president overseeing safety and regulatory matters, the self-driving truck company announced Wednesday.

Chaka, who most recently has worked as a director for safety assurance and standards for Pittsburgh-based autonomous trucking solutions firm Locomation Inc., will oversee and coordinate safety across the company, including its safety management system program, regulatory compliance and industry best practices. She will also chair Torc’s safety board and co-chair its legal and regulatory safety committee.

Chaka has more than 25 years of safety and regulatory experience in transportation, including in engineering and management roles at Ford Motor Co., and also worked as program and division director at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, according to her LinkedIn account. She has also led automated driving research projects sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Chaka has a master’s degree in automotive engineering technology from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University.

“Torc is dedicated to saving lives through the use of innovative technologies. From my first conversation with the Torc team, it was evident that saving lives was more than an aspirational mission, it is a Torc core value,” Chaka said in a statement.

Torc is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG. The company announced in August 2022 that Peter Vaughan Schmidt would succeed Michael Fleming as CEO. Torc was acquired by Daimler Truck in 2019.

Torc Robotics names new CEO

Blacksburg-based self-driving truck company Torc Robotics has named Peter Vaughan Schmidt its next CEO, the Daimler Truck AG subsidiary announced Thursday.

Currently head of Daimler Truck’s Autonomous Technology Group, Schmidt will take on his new role Oct. 1 and succeeds Michael Fleming. The company produces software for self-driving commercial vehicles and was started by a Virginia Tech robotics team, including Fleming, in 2005.

In 2019, Torc was acquired by Daimler Truck as an independent subsidiary, which has led to dramatic growth while maintaining its brand and leadership.

Since its 2019 acquisition, Torc has quadrupled in size to include more than 600 employees with teams in four locations in the United States and Europe, and Fleming realigned the company to focus on building autonomous technology for tractor trailers and vehicles with a gross weight rating exceeding 33,000 pounds. The company announced an $8.5 million expansion in Montgomery County in 2020 that added 350 jobs.

Schmidt is currently based in Stuttgart, Germany, but will relocate to Blacksburg, and Fleming will retain a seat on Torc’s board and will continue to advise the company.

In a letter posted to Torc’s website Thursday, Fleming said he plans to focus on the Self-Driving Institute, a nonprofit he founded, as well as his hobby of flying.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Michael Fleming,” said Martin Daum, Daimler Truck’s board chairman. “His achievements for our company and for our industry as a whole cannot be overstated. He is a true pioneer and visionary who paved the way for autonomous driving, founding Torc Robotics 17 years ago. Torc has been part of the Daimler Truck family since 2019 and, with Michael at the helm, has successfully further developed its software solution for autonomous driving and adapted it to our Freightliner trucks.”

Schmidt joined Daimler in 2005 and has worked in a number of roles, including strategy, product and platform management, as well as production and plant management. As head of Daimler’s autonomous business unit, Schmidt orchestrated majority investment in Torc in 2019, and has worked with Fleming since then.

Schmidt earned degrees in physics, including a Ph.D. from Heidelberg University in Germany.

“We are all excited about this new chapter in Torc’s history,” Schmidt said in a statement. “We’re building on Torc’s long tradition of autonomous innovation and safety, and standing on the shoulders of the pioneers who built this industry from the ground up, starting 17 years ago with Torc’s founding. We’re looking forward to focusing on our customers’ needs, developing great technology together, and bringing the best possible product and much needed capacity to market as quickly and safely as possible.”

Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Stuttgart, Germany.

Va. Tech Transportation Institute director to step down

Tom Dingus, the director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) for the past 25 years, will step down from his position and return to the faculty, the university announced Monday.

The endowed professor has been a driver safety researcher for the past 35 years and has had a keen focus on autonomous technologies for vehicles. In 2015, he was the only academic to be elected to the Virginia Governor’s Unmanned Systems Commission.

“Tom’s leadership has been one major reason that Virginia continues to lead the country in this cutting-edge industry,” U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said in a statement.

During his time with VTTI, Dingus has been involved with research focused on self-driving technologies and driver safety. VTTI works with private- and public-sector partners, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 14 automotive manufacturers (including General Motors) and more than 50 suppliers to create data acquisition, advanced data analytics, and simulation methods for development.

“Over many years, Tom has pioneered new approaches to understanding road safety and his influence has found its way into nearly every safety feature on every GM vehicle,” John Capp, GM director of vehicle safety technology, strategy and regulations, said in a statement. “I greatly appreciate all he has done to teach policy makers, the industry and me personally about how crashes happen and things we can do to make driving safer.”

VTTI, which was first founded as the Center for Transportation Research, employs approximately 500 people and is currently working on 300 projects. Annually, VTTI has more than $50 million in sponsored program research expenditures. It houses the $28 million Safety Through Disruption University Transportation Center and the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence.

“Tom’s exceptional work and his commitment to strengthening our nation’s ground transportation policies and safety infrastructure will benefit drivers and road travelers for decades to come,” Don Taylor, Virginia Tech executive vice provost, said in a statement.

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BAE Systems lands $400M Air Force contract

The U.S. Air Force awarded Arlington-based defense contractor BAE Systems Inc. a $400 million contract to develop an air vehicle system for the Skyborg program, a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that use artificial intelligence to adapt to battlefield conditions.

“The need to generate combat power faster than our adversaries is critical to address near-peer threats,” Ehtisham Siddiqui, BAE Systems vice president and general manager of controls and avionics solutions, said in a statement. “This award will accelerate the development and deployment of manned/unmanned teaming technologies to give the U.S. Air Force a decisive edge in the battlespace.”

BAE Systems will design the UAVs using their autonomous systems, which include sensors and payloads that communicate within a shared network with manned aircraft. This will allow for faster updates and integration to respond to emerging threats, according to BAE Systems.

“It will allow the UAVs to serve as the eyes and ears for pilots, collecting and sending data from the battlespace to a manned fighter,” according to BAE Systems.

Work on the contract will be performed in Endicott, New York.

BAE Systems Inc. employs approximately 35,100 people across the U.S., U.K., Sweden and Israel. The company generated $11.4 billion in sales last year. BAE Systems Inc. is an independent U.S. subsidiary of England-based BAE Systems plc, one of Europe’s top defense contractors.