Nuro, an automotive startup company founded by several Google ex-employees, has built a van prototype capable of delivering goods to the customers without any kind of third-party assistance. The new completely self-driven vehicle received the name R1.
The Nuro R1 uses sets of laser rangefinders, video cameras, and ultrasonic sensors to navigate the streets unattended. Its interior houses numerous storage shelves, but the van is still sleek enough to be maneuverable.
Customers can order goods and learn about their delivery via the dedicated mobile app. The van uses face recognition software to determine whether a person is authorized for the receipt.
Nuro says it will at first launch the service with only 6 R1 vans to gather all the necessary statistics and find optimal routes.
A similar technology has recently been presented by the Japanese car giant Toyota.
Photo: Nuro