Autonomous Delivery Vehicle Has Airbag On Outside For Obvious Reasons

Self-driving vehicles are definitely not a hot topic for Motor1.com‘s huge global reader base – we know that from our official traffic data. And frankly – this didn’t surprise us. Just like you, we love beautiful, powerful cars that have real steering wheel. Nevertheless, autonomous features – at least in some parts of the business – seem inevitable and we have to accept it, like it or not.

When we talk about delivery vehicles, driverless vehicles actually make a lot of sense. With no one in the cab, these machines can be kept to minimal physical dimensions and can be easier and cheaper to operate than traditional delivery trucks and vans. Nuro, one of the industry leaders when it comes to autonomous technology, has just presented the latest evolution of its delivery vehicle and has large airbags. Outside.

The engine you see in the gallery above is simply called the Nuro and is the company’s third-generation self-delivery vehicle. Its ergonomically designed compartments can hold nearly 500 pounds of groceries and all of them are easily accessible via the touchscreen. The vehicle’s HVAC system can keep food cold to -22 degrees F (-5.5 degrees Celsius) or hot to 116 degrees F (47 degrees Celsius). Or, simply put, the pizza stays hot and the soda stays cold.

While that’s cool and all, it’s probably not the most attractive feature of the Nuro. Autoliv, a developer of automotive safety systems, has designed a special airbag for passengerless vehicles that is mounted on the outside of the vehicle, in the front fascia. Its purpose is to protect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. These road users account for more than half of the world’s traffic deaths each year. And while the idea may seem a little odd at first glance, it makes sense to us.

“Autoliv’s collaboration with Nuro is an excellent example of how we are now combining core competencies and solid industry experience with product development for new markets,” Per Lindeberg, VP Mobility Safety Solutions at Autoliv, commented.

For now, the new Nuro project is more of a concept, although the company is the first to be granted approval for a self-driving vehicle exemption by the US Department of Transportation.