Daimler Trucks is to acquire a majority stake in Torc Robotics, as the US truck company powers ahead with plans to put ‘highly automated’ trucks on the roads.

Announcing the deal, which has been made for an undisclosed sum, Daimler said the acquisition would “create a technology power house for automated trucks”.

The deal is aimed at combining Torc’s agile self-drive software with Daimler’s truck hardware.

Under the terms agreed, Torc robotics will retain its location in Virginia, name and team members, while working closely with Daimler Truck’s research and development teams in North America.

The deal is the latest stage in Daimler Truck’s efforts to partner other automobile and technology firms to consolidate its position in advance of the arrival of automated haulage fleets.

It follows Daimler announcing that it would continue to work closely with Mercedes-Benz Cars on self-drive technologies, including sensor technology and operational aspects of vehicle automation.

Michael Fleming, chief executive of Torc, said: “With the ever rising demand for road transportation, not the least through e-commerce, there is a strong business case for self-driving trucks in the US market and I believe the fastest path to commercialisation for self-driving trucks is in partnership with Daimler Trucks.”

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