Self-driving startup Nuro showcases next-gen grocery getter

Self-driving startup Nuro showcases next-gen grocery getter Nuro, the self-driving startup attempting to capitalize on the delivery boom by working with partners such as 7-Eleven, FedEx and Kroger, unveiled its third-generation vehicle this week. Instead of following the sequencing of its R1 and R2 prototype predecessors, the vehicle is now simply known as the Nuro, and it offers an increase in cargo capacity. New equipment aboard includes an airbag that deploys outside the vehicle in the event a collision with a pedestrian is imminent. Some features stay the same, though, notably a sensing suite that includes thermal cameras in addition to traditional cameras, lidar and radar. One important aspect of the vehicle — there's still no room for humans aboard the zero-occupant vehicle. Production of the new vehicles involves a partnership with BYD North America at a factory in southern Nevada. BYD will assemble the vehicle platforms, and Nuro will upfit its self-driving systems and test the vehicles at a nearby closed-course track. Construction of the $40 million facility began in November and is expected to be fully operational this year. Once the factory is up and running, the two companies say in a written statement they have the capacity to manufacture "tens of thousands" of vehicles per year. — Pete Bigelow What you need to knowAbout 70 CES attendees from South Korea test positive for COVID-19 About 70 South Korean nationals who attended the giant CES tech trade show in Las Vegas last week tested positive for COVID-19, health authorities of the Asian country said on Wednesday. These included some executives and staff of major South Korean companies, according to industry sources and a company official. About 20 people from Samsung Electronics and about six at SK Group, parent of energy firm SK Innovation and chipmaker SK Hynix, were among those who tested positive for the virus after attending CES, the sources said. Hyundai Heavy Industries said six of its employees who attended CES tested positive while in the U.S. and were quarantined. Some have since been released. "Multiple" Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Mobis employees who attended CES also tested positive after returning to South Korea, the newspaper JoongAng Ilbo reported, citing an unidentified industry source.

Self-driving startup Nuro showcases next-gen grocery getter

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