The Kroger Co. and Nuro announced on Thursday a partnership to pilot an on-road, fully autonomous delivery experience.
The largest supermarket retailers in America and Nuro, the maker of the world's first fully unmanned road vehicle, will work to bring grocery delivery to customers everywhere.Through the partnership, consumers can place same-day delivery orders through Kroger's ClickList ordering system and Nuro's app. During the test, orders will be delivered by Nuro's fleet of autonomous vehicles.
This will be the first application and deployment of Nuro's hardware and software. The pilot market will be announced soon with an expected start in the fall.
"We are incredibly excited about the potential of our innovative partnership with Nuro to bring the future of grocery delivery to customers today," says Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief digital officer. "As part of Restock Kroger, we have already started to redefine the grocery customer experience and expand the coverage area for our anything, anytime and anywhere offering. Partnering with Nuro, a leading technology company, will create customer value by providing Americans access to fast and convenient delivery at a fair price."
Kroger's retail footprint of 2,800 stores in 35 states will combine with Nuro's technology platform in an attempt to offer grocery delivery with a low price.
"Unmanned delivery will be a game-changer for local commerce, and together with Kroger, we're thrilled to test this new delivery experience to bring grocery customers new levels of convenience and value," says Dave Ferguson, co-founder, Nuro. "Our safe, reliable, and affordable service, combined with Kroger's ubiquitous brand, is a powerful first step in our mission to accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life."