Residents of Scottsdale, Arizona, can now get their groceries delivered via a self-driving car, courtesy of a new pilot program launched this week from grocery chain Kroger and self-driving car startup Nuro.
The companies announced the partnership back in January, with Nuro, which was founded by two ex-Google engineers, also unveiling the prototype for the R1 pod that would ultimately transport goods to busy shoppers.
Of course, things are rolling out slowly to start. Customers are free to order from exactly one Kroger-owned store—Fry’s Food Store—and can place an online order for same-day or next-day delivery with a $5.95 delivery fee.
You won’t see R1 pods on the road quite yet either—initial orders will be carried out by Nuro’s fleet of self-driving Toyota Prius vehicles, and the cars will have a safety driver behind the wheel. But the futuristic vehicles are expected to make their debut later this fall once testing is complete.
Arizona has become a popular site for the testing of autonomous vehicles, with varying degrees of success. Stay tuned as Kroger and Nuro’s pilot program takes a step toward an autonomous future of delivery.
Via: Designboom, New Atlas
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