Nuro Becomes the First Commercialised Driverless Delivery Service in California

Nuro is the first company allowed to operate autonomous cars commercially in California. The company received a permit in April that allowed it to test its robots, but this permit will allow the firm to actually charge people for the service. The firm's vehicles will be limited to 25 mph (40 km/h) and restricted to operating in fair weather conditions. According to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, Nuro had to meet several safety standards, such as showing its vehicles are capable of avoiding hazards and creating a plan for how to interact with police and other emergency responders. In February 2020, the company won an exemption to operate from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which was another state requirement. Nuro was founded by two former Google engineers and has funding from Softbank. Its vehicles are designed to operate without a driver or passengers in them. GM’s Cruise unit, Waymo and Amazon unit Zoox have also gotten approval for tests in California and are all seeking to cash in on the new technology.