Nuro, a pioneering startup from Silicon Valley, is venturing into the bustling streets of Tokyo to test its advanced autonomous vehicle technology. Backed by notable investors such as Nvidia, Uber, and Softbank, this initiative marks a significant step in Nuro's international expansion.
Equipped with self-driving software, Toyota Prius vehicles are currently undergoing trials on public roads in Tokyo, with human safety operators present as a precaution. This ambitious project represents Nuro's first foray into foreign markets since it redefined its business model two years ago.
The company acknowledges that operating in Japan presents unique challenges, from navigating left-side traffic to adapting to different road signs and lane markings. Since establishing its Tokyo office last August, Nuro has been preparing for these complexities, although it has not disclosed the number of vehicles involved in the trials or when it plans to eliminate human oversight.
In a recent blog post, Nuro expressed optimism about future expansions, stating, "Our autonomous operations in Tokyo are the beginning of the compounding benefits of global deployment." This forward-looking approach underscores their commitment to enhancing mobility solutions worldwide.
Nuro was founded in 2016 by former Google self-driving project engineers Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu, initially focusing on a fleet of low-speed delivery robots. The startup gained significant attention when Softbank Vision Fund invested $940 million in 2019, propelling its growth.
Despite an exciting start, Nuro faced challenges due to high development costs and industry consolidation, prompting a strategic pivot in 2024. The company shifted from low-speed bots to licensing its technology to automakers and mobility providers, including ride-hailing and delivery services.
The core of Nuro's technology is an innovative AI model designed for end-to-end learning, enabling it to autonomously navigate Tokyo's roads without prior exposure to local driving data. This method, termed "zero-shot autonomous driving," is akin to approaches taken by other startups in the field.
Safety remains a top priority for Nuro, which conducts rigorous closed-course testing for each new version of its autonomy model. The vehicles initially operate under manual control while the software runs in "shadow mode," allowing Nuro to assess the AI's performance before granting full autonomy on public roads.
With growing interest and investment in its self-driving technology, Nuro raised $203 million last year during a Series E funding round. This included contributions from existing and new investors such as Baillie Gifford, Icehouse Ventures, and Nvidia. Uber's commitment to a significant investment further solidifies Nuro's potential in the autonomous vehicle landscape.
