Automation in retail can be achieved through the use of a fully autonomous, on-road vehicle designed to transport goods quickly, safely and affordably. This the stated aim of a new startup venture.
This new type of self-driving vehicle, designed for the grocery market, comes from robotics startup Nuro (based in Mountain View, California, U.S.) the company has recently displayed a new type of autonomous vehicle, designed for the delivering packages. The aim is for customers to order online and for the vehicle to signal when a delivery is about to be made via a smartphone app. On arrival, customers will be sent a code allowing them to access certain compartments within the vehicle to collect their goods.
The vehicle is will have no human passengers and the key design focus is on safely delivering goods and the protection of pedestrian and motor vehicle users. Due to the absence of humans, there are no windows or typical doors. Neither does the vehicle come with any manual driving controls.
In terms of its application as a delivery system, the vehicle has a fully customizable interior. Different racks, hangers, cargo bays and refrigeration units can be added. The vehicle will be able to carry 115 Kilograms (250 pounds) of different types of goods.
The new vehicle weighs some 680 Kilograms (1,500 pounds), with the primary weight coming from the van’s battery pack. The roof-mounted sensor array uses LIDAR technology.
The company Nuro was set up in 2017 by two former Google engineers — Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu — with experience in self-driving car development. The two engineers were formerly employed at Waymo.
