Blacksburg company to test self-driving-cars in Nevada

Published September 8, 2017 by Robert Powell, III

Blacksburg-based Torc Robotics has added Nevada to its list of self-driving-car testing venues.

The company received an autonomous vehicle testing permit from the state, permitting it to test its self-driving cars on public roads.

“Nevada features many unique driving environments, from long stretches of desert road to complex city streets like those in Las Vegas,” Torc CEO Michael Fleming said in a statement. “Testing our technology in the state will help us continue improving our system, allowing it to handle widely variable, real-life scenarios.”

Fleming said Nevada could also serve as an environmental testing ground for measuring the system’s performance in high temperature and wind. Torc vehicles have already undergone extensive environmental testing in rainy weather conditions, light snow, and fog. 

Torc has tested its autonomous vehicle technology in more than 20 states.

Founded in 2005, Torc provides end-to-end self-driving technology for many industries, including automotive, mining, and defense.