Uber Eats and Nuro have started doing self-driving deliveries in Texas and California
Uber Eats and Nuro have started doing self-driving deliveries in Texas and California
Uber Eats has just taken a new step in the sector of autonomous deliveries. In fact, we learn thatUber just signed a 10-year partnership with the company Noro. The latter is known for its autonomous electric vehicles, and Uber Eats will use them to deliver food in the United States. The use of Nuro vehicles by Uber Eats will begin this fall in the cities of Houston, Texas, and Mountain View, California. The service will eventually be offered in a wider area.
According to the information, customers who order food on the Uber Eats app will not know whether their order will be delivered by a human or by a self-driving vehicle from Nuro. The price will be the samebut the customer will be reimbursed if he decided to send a tip beforehand while his order is delivered by an autonomous vehicle.
With Nuro’s self-driving vehicles, customers will have to leave their homes to pick up their food. They can open the car door and retrieve their order using a code provided to them.
Nuro’s Vehicles
As part of this partnership, Nuro will use its second generation vehicles called R2. These vehicles were designed to be totally autonomous. To be able to drive without any driver, they are equipped with 360° cameras, thermal cameras, lidars and radars.
Earlier this year, Nuro unveiled its 3th generation. This is equipped with an external airbag to protect pedestrians. However, this new model has not yet been officially launched.
A company with experience
The company Nuro is no newbie to the delivery business.. Indeed, its vehicles have been making deliveries to Houston since 2019 for other companies like walmart.
In California, Nuro obtained the state’s first autonomous vehicle deployment license in 2020. This authorizes it to operate a commercial service of driverless vehicles. Thanks to this permit, Nuro will be able to be paid for each delivery made for Uber Eats in the State.
When it comes to Uber Eats, Nuro isn’t the only self-driving delivery company it works with. Last May, Uber Eats, for example, launched a pilot test with the company Motional in Santa Monica, California. In the same month, she also started a test with the company Serve Robotics for short haul deliveries in West Hollywood.
SOURCE: Engadget
