The Future Is Now! Uber Eats Begins Testing Deliveries Using Fully Autonomous Electric Cars in the United States

Uber Eats Starts Delivering Using A Fully Autonomous Electric Vehicle In The United States, Through Partnership With The Technology Company Nuro

Uber, one of the first companies to start the ride-sharing revolution over a decade ago, continues to grow and adapt to a world focused on reducing carbon emissions. After its first service, the company became a mobility technology giant, offering variations of its ride-sharing services, such as Uber Green, Uber Pet, and Uber Eats for food and grocery delivery.

Recently, the company announced a partnership with the developer of autonomous electric vehicles Nuro, to revolutionize precisely that last service mentioned, Uber Eats. Under the terms of the agreement with Nuro, Uber Eats customers in the United States will receive food deliveries using autonomous electric vehicles (unmanned), developed by the partner company. Watch in the video below how Uber Eats’ autonomous delivery system will work.

In the coming months, Uber Eats’ electric vehicles will begin operating in the states of Texas and California before being extended to other locations. The maximum speed of the Uber Eats autonomous electric car is 72 kilometers per hour and has complete autonomy to circulate in residential neighborhoods and condominiums; however, it is not yet legalized to operate on major highways. According to Uber, its compartments can hold up to 24 different deliveries, all fully refrigerated.

The Autonomous Electric Vehicle From Nuro, Used By Uber Eats, Comes With A Series Of Safety Mechanisms To Protect Pedestrians

In the event of a collision, Nuro’s vehicle is equipped with airbags to protect pedestrians, in addition to a camera with a field of view that covers the entire vehicle. Furthermore, there are thermal cameras and other sensors to ensure the safety of pedestrians and deliveries.

According to the company, during the testing period, the fees charged for Uber Eats deliveries will be the same, regardless of whether they are made through Nuro’s autonomous vehicles or by conventional means.

Uber believes that Nuro’s autonomous electric vehicles can provide a sustainable solution for its delivery service and additional applications outside of this service, to support the expanding market for food, grocery, and other product delivery. Currently, the Uber Eats network serves about 825,000 merchants in over 11,000 cities around the world.

Here in Brazil, we do not know when, or if we will see a Nuro autonomous electric vehicle in circulation, since its main partner, Uber Eats, ceased operations in the country at the beginning of 2022, after 7 years of service.