STUTTGART
/ PORTLAND, Ore. (Nov. 17, 2022) – Daimler Truck AG today announced the
appointment of Joanna Buttler as head of its Global Autonomous Technology Group,
effective immediately. In her new role, she leads the company’s global
autonomous technology strategy, including vehicle programs, global rollout and
partnerships.
Buttler
will oversee all aspects of Daimler Truck’s strategic partnerships with Waymo
and Daimler Truck’s independent subsidiary, Torc Robotics, including business development
and commercial agreements. She will lead all further autonomous product
expansion plans in close cooperation with respective Daimler Truck regions to
align all autonomous activities, including but not limited to: engineering, product
strategy, procurement, and mergers and acquisitions.
“Joanna’s
record of leading new product projects, business acumen and extensive
international experience make her well-suited to drive the autonomous technology
transformation for not only Daimler Truck, but the industry as a whole,” said
John O’Leary, president and CEO, Daimler Truck North America (DTNA). “She is a
leader who excels in forming strong and collaborative relationships with
internal and external partners and applies a customer-focused and collaborative
approach to deliver mutual success.”
Buttler has had an extensive career at Daimler. She joined the company
in 2006 as a project manager within the company’s powertrain group. From there,
she held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility in marketing, product
lifecycle, project management, controlling and as Chief of Staff for Daimler
Trucks & Buses. In 2019, she joined the Autonomous Technology group as director
of business operations and liaison to Torc Robotics. In this role, she led all
business aspects of the post-transaction integration. In 2021, she took on her
current position as program director for the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia
at DTNA, collaborating closely with Waymo to develop the first-ever redundant
vehicle platform.
Buttler is based in Portland and reports to John
O’Leary, president and CEO, DTNA. She succeeds Peter Vaughan Schmidt, who
recently transitioned to the role of CEO of Daimler Truck’s independent
subsidiary, Torc Robotics. Buttler earned a bachelor’s in business administration
and communication from the University of Applied Sciences in Mainz, Germany
