Latest news with #DuncanEddy
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Community issues in focus
Community advocacy was top of mind at the West Harbour Community Board meeting, held last Wednesday at Port Chalmers Town Hall. At its public forum, the board heard a presentation from local resident Ms Wilson, who complained about excess lights used at night by Port Otago and asked for board support. The board also heard from Port Chalmers residents Mike Webb and John Innes about a local bus shelter that had been removed earlier in the year. Local musician and co-organiser of the Lines of Flight musical festival Peter Porteous spoke in support of a funding application from the Metonymic Trust for $700 towards the hire of Port Chalmers Town Hall for the event in October. The festival had been running two-yearly for the past 25 years, featured many local musicians and attracted people from around the world, he said. Later in the meeting, board members voted unanimously to grant the requested $700. Bus routes Otago Regional Council regional planning and transport general manager Anita Dawe attended the board meeting to speak about the Regional Transport Plan, which was adopted in June. Directives from the government had resulted in the team investigating a zoning model and small rises in fares — from $2 to $2.50 for adults, and from free to $1.50 for children. In response to questions from board members, Ms Dawe said there would not be a return to very high fares, but there were few "levers" for the council to pull to cover bus service costs. Planning was also well under way in advance of cruise ship season. Scholarship The board considered an application for a scholarship from emerging young Māori leader Ngāki Kiore for $500 towards attending the Ngā Manu Kōrero national speech competition in September. The board voted to grant her the $500 requested. General The board voted to continue advertising in the Rothesay News , at a cost of $1500 for the year. The column features board members' contact details. In discussing the Community Plan, board member Barbara Anderson raised concerns over lack of progress from the board on the plan. She also spoke about communication with the community during emergencies. In the subsequent discussion, it was highlighted that official information had to come from the bunker in an emergency to be shared, and there were changes under way. Following board reports, Ms McErlane congratulated Ms Goldsmith and board member Duncan Eddy on their efforts in organising the recent West Harbour Community Awards. Information panels Cr Mandy Mayhem shared progress on the creation of six panels highlighting historic sites and events for display around the Port Chalmers area, and requested an additional $78 for the cost of the sixth panel — this was granted. WEST HARBOUR COMMUNITY BOARD NOMINEES • Duncan Eddy • Jarrod Hodson • Jenny Kendrick • Ange McErlane • Matthew Newton • Barbara Olah • Marion Poole • Wayne Sefton Postal votes need to submitted by Tuesday, October 7. After this date, votes must be returned to the council's secure ballot boxes before noon on Saturday, October 11.
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Torc Joins the Stanford Center for AI Safety to Conduct Joint Research on AI Safety for Level 4 Autonomous Trucking
BLACKSBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Torc, a pioneer in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, today announced its membership with the Stanford Center for AI Safety, which conducts state-of-the-art research to help ensure the safety of AI, specifically machine learning, for use in autonomous trucking applications. This membership marks a significant milestone in Torc's ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and reliability of its autonomous trucking solutions as the company prepares for market entry in 2027. The membership enables Torc to sponsor, collaborate in, and coauthor research with the Stanford Center for AI Safety, enabling direct access to those research findings as they happen. Access to the center's research symposiums, seminars, and other member benefits also help Torc apply Stanford's extensive AI Safety research in the company's efforts to significantly enhance the safety protocols of machine learning models within its autonomous driving systems. "Torc is proud to join the Stanford Center for AI Safety, reinforcing our mission to deliver safe, scalable, and trustworthy autonomous solutions,' said Steve Kenner, Chief Safety Officer at Torc. "This membership aligns with our commitment to advancing rigorous safety practices in AI development and supports our goal of providing highly reliable technology to our customers." The Stanford Center for AI Safety's research focuses on developing robust safety protocols and advanced machine learning techniques to mitigate risks in autonomous systems. As a member of the center, Torc can leverage published research to continue to address critical safety challenges in autonomous driving applications. Ultimately, Torc will work to continue to enhance the reliability and safety of its machine learning models toward the company's goal of fully commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. in 2027. "Collaborating with members in our affiliates program allows us to apply our research in AI safety to real-world challenges,' commented Duncan Eddy, Director of the Stanford Center for AI Safety. 'Our work with Torc will include efforts to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous driving systems, ultimately contributing to the advancement of this transformative technology." For more information on Torc, please visit About Torc Torc, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, a global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has over 20 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. In addition to its Blacksburg headquarters and engineering offices in Austin, Texas, and Montreal, Canada, Torc has a fleet operations facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, to support the company's productization and commercialization efforts, as well as a presence in Ann Arbor, MI, to take advantage of the autonomous and automotive talent base in that region. Torc's purpose is driving the future of freight with autonomous technology. As the world's leading autonomous trucking solution, we empower exceptional employees, deliver a focused, hub-to-hub autonomous truck product, and provide our customers with the safest, most reliable, and cost-efficient solution to the market.
