Nuro Tests Autonomous Driving Technology on Tokyo Roads
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Nuro tests autonomous driving technology on Tokyo roads. Reader Mode A Silicon Valley autonomous vehicle startup, Nuro, has begun testing its self driving technology on public roads in Tokyo, marking the company's first expansion outside the United States. The pilot programme uses modified Toyota Prius cars fitted with Nuro's autonomous driving software, while human safety operators remain behind the wheel as a precaution during the testing phase. The company said the trial, which began last month, is designed to evaluate how its technology performs under Japan's unique road conditions and traffic culture. Unlike in the United States, vehicles in Japan drive on the left side of the road, and Tokyo's streets are known for dense traffic, different road signs and distinctive lane markings. Nuro said these factors present new challenges as the system adapts to unfamiliar driving environments. Founded in 2016 by former engineers from the early self driving project at Google, Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu, the startup initially focused on operating small autonomous delivery robots. The company attracted major investors including SoftBank, which invested $940 million through its Vision Fund in 2019, helping the startup gain global attention in the fast evolving autonomous vehicle industry. After facing rising development costs and industry consolidation, Nuro shifted its...
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