Daimler Truck and TORC Robotics Select Aeva to Supply Advanced 4D LiDAR Technology for Series-Production Autonomous Trucks

Aeva (NYSE: AEVA), a leader in next-generation sensing and perception systems and Daimler Truck AG (“Daimler Truck”), one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, announced today that Daimler Truck has selected Aeva as the supplier of long and ultra-long range LiDAR for its series production autonomous commercial vehicle program.

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Aeva 4D LiDAR Sensors on a Torc Autonomous Truck (Graphic: Business Wire)

Under the production collaboration, Aeva will supply its latest Aeva Atlas automotive grade 4D LiDAR technology to Daimler Truck and collaborate with Torc Robotics, Inc. (“Torc”), an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck, to enable SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle capabilities beginning with the Class 8 Freightliner Cascadia truck platform. Daimler Truck intends to integrate the LiDAR sensors directly in its production process, making it easy for customers to buy autonomous ready trucks directly out of its manufacturing plants without the need for sensors to be retrofitted. Torc in turn will sell its virtual driver technology and supporting services as a subscription to customers. Torc’s driving software will use Aeva’s perception software, built around Aeva’s instant velocity data, to detect objects faster, farther away, and with higher accuracy. The multi-year collaboration begins in the first quarter of 2024 with Aeva’s start of production by 2026 and Daimler Truck’s production ramping up by 2027.

LiDAR is a key enabling technology in autonomous driving. While traditional LiDAR sensors use laser pulses to sense distances to objects, Aeva’s unique Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR technology uses a low power continuous laser beam to simultaneously measure range and velocity for every point. This enables vehicles to unlock new levels of safety and automation by instantaneously discriminating between static and dynamic points and knowing the precise velocity of dynamic objects.

Joanna Buttler, Head of Global Autonomous Technology Group at Daimler Truck: “Daimler Truck is committed to leading the industry’s advancement toward autonomous trucks. Selecting the right LiDAR technology is a crucial strategic decision to safely deploy autonomous trucks on the road. We are convinced that Aeva with its cutting edge and reliable technology is the right production partner for LiDAR sensors and has the manufacturing capabilities to scale along with us. Today’s announcement therefore represents a key puzzle piece on our path towards commercialization. Together with Torc, we are well on track to offer autonomous trucks to the U.S. market by 2027."