Nuro Begins California Deliveries with R2 Vehicle

Emerging Tech Brew has been tracking COVID-19’s impact on autonomous vehicles for a month. For AVs capable of delivery, deployment has accelerated.

This week, SoftBank-backed Nuro said its new R2 robotic vehicles will begin contactless medical supply deliveries at the Sleep Train Arena, the former Sacramento Kings stadium that’s been repurposed into a temporary COVID-19 hospital. R2s will also deliver food, water, and other supplies to San Mateo County’s Event Center.

What about robotaxis?

• Earlier this month, AutoX opened what it calls Asia’s largest robotaxi facility in Shanghai.
• Baidu is expanding its free AV ride-hailing service in Changsha, China. The service previously required vetting and a standalone app. Now, commuters can hail a ride via Baidu’s navigation app.

As for self-driving software: “We don’t anticipate that COVID-19 will delay our progress in the long-term, largely due to our investments in virtual testing,” Aurora CEO Chris Urmson said in a statement to the Brew. The startup’s developers are remotely testing Aurora’s “Driver” software/hardware stack and building out HD maps. Aurora’s vehicle operators, who’d normally be riding on the road, are helping with data labeling and virtual tests.