Self-driving car startup Nuro is ready to put autonomous vehicles on the road in partnership with retailer Kroger to deliver groceries. This pilot will serve one single Fry’s Food and Drug location in Scottsdale, Arizona (USA). Customers can shop for groceries and place either same- or next-day delivery orders via the grocer’s website or app.
Nuro’s intent is to use its self-driving technology in the last mile for the delivery of local goods and services. Nuro’s vehicle has two compartments that can fit up to six grocery bags each. “We’re proud to contribute and turn our vision for local commerce into a real, accessible service that residents of Scottsdale can use immediately,” Nuro CEO Dave Ferguson said in a statement. “Our goal is to save people time, while operating safely and learning how we can further improve the experience.”
In Scottsdale, however, Nuro will initially use Toyota Prius cars before introducing its custom self-driving vehicles. That’s because the main purpose of this pilot is to learn, and using the Prius self-driving fleet can help to accelerate those learnings, a Nuro spokesperson told.
Kroger’s expansive retail footprint of 2,800 stores in 35 states combined with Nuro’s technology platform will change the status quo of grocery delivery through convenience at a low price. This allows customers to get what they need, when they need it, wherever they are. The Kroger mission is to expand and improve the grocery experience for everyone aligns with our goal to make grocery delivery a convenient, affordable option for families everywhere.
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