Nuro granted permit to test driverless, passengerless vehicles on public roads in California

April 8, 2020 | AUVSI News

The State of California has granted Nuro the first permit ever to test a self-driving vehicle on public roads that is both driverless and passengerless.

Only the second driverless testing permit California has granted to any company—Waymo received the first in 2018—the permit allows Nuro to begin testing its R2 vehicle in service with its partners, starting in the Silicon Valley region.

“California is Nuro’s home, and we are excited to bring our neighborhood-friendly R2 vehicle into our communities, in close cooperation with the DMV, local leaders, and law enforcement,” Nuro says.

“Community education and engagement is a critical part of the DMV’s permitting process, and over the next few weeks and months, we’re planning various remote community engagement activities with Mountain View law enforcement and first responders, to ensure that our community leaders are fully trained on how to interact with our vehicles on public roads, particularly in cases of emergency.”

Nuro notes that Mountain View, California residents, as well as those in surrounding areas, may already have seen the company’s Prius vehicles on roads. In adherence with state guidelines, those vehicles included human operators who monitored their autonomous systems.

The company’s R2 vehicles can now begin testing in the counties that make up Silicon Valley, namely Santa Clara and San Mateo. Nuro says that it plans to continue expanding testing in other parts of the Bay Area soon.

“The permit granted today means that we can even begin conducting deliveries with our local retail partners,” Nuro says.

Nuro plans to begin its service by making free deliveries to select customers in Mountain View and the surrounding area, which will allow the company to launch a formal delivery service in partnership with local brands and retailers. The company says that the next step in the California regulatory process will be to apply for a full statewide commercial deployment permit to bring its services to residents throughout the state.

“Putting our driverless R2 delivery vehicles on the road in California will be an important first for our company and the self-driving industry. But it is just a glimmer of what is to come,” Nuro says.