INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Nuro brings over eight years of development and four years of real-world deployments in California and Texas
this week announced that it will be bringing its test fleet of autonomous vehicles to Japan in the coming weeks
This marks the Mountain View, Calif.-based companys first international data-collection initiative.This test deployment will be similar to
the data-collection tour it took across 59 U.S
cities last year, according to Nuro
The effort will allow the company to improve its artificial intelligence model by deepening its understanding of local traffic dynamics.This
announcement comes just a week after Nuro said it has raised $106 million so far in its ongoing Series E round, which brings its valuation
The company offers two flagship products to automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and mobility companies: the SAE Level 4 Nuro Driver and
“Level 2++” Nuro Driver Assist
It said each combines automotive-grade hardware with “AI-first” self-driving software.Nuro cites road conditions for testingJapans
unique driving conditions will present an opportunity for the Nuro Driver to broaden the environments it understands and navigates, said
It added that this is “an essential step in building a truly generalizable autonomy stack.”When combined with its other training data
sources, the company said this new effort accelerates its mission to develop a safer, more capable autonomous vehicle (AV).Nuro said Japans
roads are known for their complexity and distinct characteristics, which include:Vehicles driving on the left-hand side of the roadDensely
packed urban corridors and narrow residential areasUnique driving behaviors and cultural traffic normsThese provide unique opportunities for
The company said the data it gathers will strengthen its technology for future partner deployments across the globe.Register now so you
don't miss out!Why Japan is attractive to AV developersBut Nuro isnt the only autonomous vehicle developer that has its sights set on Japan
Waymo has also started testing its AVs on public roads in Tokyo
In addition, back in October 2023, before GM stopped funding Cruises AV deployments, the company planned to bring its AVs to Japan.So, why
are American self-driving car developers picking Japan as their first international deployment? Unlike the U.S., where regulators have
struggled to keep up with AV innovation, Japan has been working for years to establish laws and regulations into place for autonomous
The country began allowing Level 3 vehicles on roads in 2020, and Level 4 vehicles in 2023.Japans aging population has resulted in a serious
driver shortage, both in passenger transportation and in freight transportation
This makes the country a strong potential market for AVs.Nuro also said it looks forward to working with policymakers, regulators, first
responders, and local communities
The company claimed that it has driven over 1.2 million autonomous miles without an at-fault incident, and it has more than four years of
Level 4 AV deployments without a safety driver on public roads.The post Nuro brings autonomous vehicle test fleet to Japan for data
collection appeared first on The Robot Report.
