Autonomous grocery delivery

Nuro autonomous vehicle. © Kroger.

Starting this week, residents of Scottsdale, Arizona, can get their groceries delivered by a self-driving vehicle. This on-the-ground experiment is the result of a partnership between autonomous vehicle builder Nuro, and Kroger, the U.S.’s largest retail chain, owner of the Fry’s banner in Arizona. Kroger says that deliveries will have a flat $5.95 delivery fee, and customers can schedule same-day or next-day deliveries. Initially, the deliveries will be made by Nuro's fleet of modified Toyota Priuses with a safety driver behind the wheel. But more interestingly, this fall, Kroger expects to start using Nuro's R1 model, which doesn't even have a driver’s seat. That’ll be one to watch!

Arizona has some of the nation's most permissive laws regarding driverless vehicles, which was likely a factor in Kroger's decision to launch its first delivery service there, and Google Waymo to test its driverless taxis around Phoenix.

⇨ Ars Technica, “Kroger launches autonomous grocery delivery service in Arizona.”