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BYD to mass manufacture Nuro’s electric autonomous delivery vehicle

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BYD, one of China’s largest automotive and technology companies, has agreed a partnership with autonomous vehicle company Nuro to begin producing the company’s third-generation electric autonomous delivery vehicle.

The partnership is expected to scale Nuro’s more affordable, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people across the country.

Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD and president of BYD North America, says: “BYD will leverage the manufacturing capacity of our Lancaster plant by finishing assembly of globally sourced hardware components to support Nuro and bring more jobs to the community. [Read more…] about BYD to mass manufacture Nuro’s electric autonomous delivery vehicle

Nuro launches new autonomous grocery delivery vehicle

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The hugely well-funded autonomous vehicle company Nuro has unveiled its third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle, and says it is ready to mass manufacture the vehicle.

Describing it as “the most advanced zero-occupant vehicle designed by the company to date”, the new flagship model, simply called “Nuro”, is expected to scale its safe, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people across the US.

Nuro’s third-generation vehicle is designed to carry more goods and enable more deliveries, with twice the cargo volume of the company’s second generation vehicle. [Read more…] about Nuro launches new autonomous grocery delivery vehicle

Nuro raises $600 million in Series D funding

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Nuro, a startup that has produced an autonomous delivery vehicle, has raised $600 million in its latest funding round. The company is currently valued at almost $10 billion and is building a manufacturing facility in Nevada.

This latest financing round was led by Tiger Global Management with participation from Baillie Gifford, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Gaorong Capital, Google, Kroger, SoftBank Vision Fund 1, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Woven Capital, and other existing investors as part of the company’s Series D funding round.

This $600 million financing will support the development and deployment of Nuro’s autonomous delivery service in communities across the country. [Read more…] about Nuro raises $600 million in Series D funding

Toyota-backed investment fund Woven Capital buys stake in Nuro

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Woven Capital, an $800 million global investment fund established by the Toyota Research Institute, has made an equity investment in Nuro, a robotics company developing autonomous delivery vehicles.

The investment is part of Nuro’s Series C round of funding, advancing its work in designing and engineering self-driving road vehicles to transform local commerce through autonomous delivery.

The exact amount of the investment has not been made public. [Read more…] about Toyota-backed investment fund Woven Capital buys stake in Nuro

Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

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Nuro claims it has become “the first company” to receive a permit to deploy autonomous vehicles on public streets from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

This permit will allow its vehicles to operate commercially on California roads in two counties near Nuro’s headquarters in the Bay Area.

Nuro says it will soon announce its first deployment in California with an established partner. The service will start with its fleet of Prius vehicles in fully autonomous mode, followed by its custom-designed electric R2 vehicles. [Read more…] about Nuro awarded ‘first ever’ autonomous vehicle permit in California

Nuro partners with CVS Pharmacy to deliver medicines using its autonomous vehicle

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Nuro is partnering with CVS Pharmacy to deliver medicines using its autonomous vehicle.

Starting this month, the “first-of-its-kind partnership” brings Nuro into the health space as the startup utilizes its fleet of autonomous vehicles to deliver prescriptions and essentials across three zip codes in Houston, Texas.

Pharma is the third industry sector in which Nuro will introduce its autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about Nuro partners with CVS Pharmacy to deliver medicines using its autonomous vehicle

Nuro puts its delivery robot into action against coronavirus

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Nuro, a California-based startup building small, wheeled autonomous delivery robots, is using its technology in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak in the US. (See video below.)

America now has the highest death toll in the world from Covid-19 and authorities have set up many temporarily hospitals and treatment centres across the country.

One of these temporary hospitals is located at the Sleep Train Arena, a basketball stadium which used to be the home of the Sacramento Kings, and another at the San Mateo County Event Center. [Read more…] about Nuro puts its delivery robot into action against coronavirus

Nuro and Domino’s partner on autonomous pizza delivery

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Nuro, a developer of driverless road-going vehicles, is partnering with fast-food chain Domino’s to deliver pizzas to customers at their homes.

A statement on Nuro’s blog says: “We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Domino’s, the world’s largest pizza company, to deliver pizza autonomously.”

Nuro’s self-driving delivery service first launched in 2018 through its partnership with Kroger, one of the largest grocery chains in the US. [Read more…] about Nuro and Domino’s partner on autonomous pizza delivery

Logistics and supply chain: An overview of ‘goods-to-person’ and ‘last-mile delivery’ technologies

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The term “goods to person” in the context of the logistics and supply chain sector refers to technology that brings items from locations within, for example, a warehouse to a human picker while he or she remains in one place, also within the warehouse. 

And while “logistics” and “supply chain” are terms that are often used interchangeably, logistics usually refers to moving goods along public roads or out in the wider world, whereas supply chain refers to the entire journey that the goods make, as well as specific parts of it, such as their processing through a warehouse.

One of the technologies most readily associated with medium- to large-scale warehouses is the conveyor, which has been around for more than 100 years. But in the past few years, warehouse robots have been eroding the total dominance of conveyors by offering what are offering described as “flexible” supply chain systems, in contrast to the “fixed” nature of conveyors. [Read more…] about Logistics and supply chain: An overview of ‘goods-to-person’ and ‘last-mile delivery’ technologies

Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets

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Despite some occasional antipathy towards them, autonomous delivery robots are gaining ground in urban landscapes. 

While some local authorities are unsure about allowing machines to roam free on city streets, most people probably accept that it’s only a matter of time before regulations accommodate the new technology.

Universities, meanwhile, as well as other organizations such as hotels, airports and large companies with extensive grounds of their own, have the opportunity to allow relatively large numbers of these autonomous mobile robots to deliver such things as snacks and maybe books, documents, and other items to students, guests and staff.  [Read more…] about Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets