Autoliv, a worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, and Nuro, a leading autonomous vehicle company, are collaborating to ensure a high safety standard for Nuro’s new third-generation, production-grade autonomous delivery vehicle.
As the most advanced zero-occupant vehicle designed by Nuro to date, the new flagship model features an exterior airbag by Autoliv which covers the front of the vehicle when inflated to protect other road users. The third-generation vehicle, simply called Nuro, is expected to scale its safe, eco-friendly, and convenient services to millions of people.
By developing airbags for autonomous vehicles, Autoliv says it is taking a position as a global leader in the wider mobility safety arena, beyond the light vehicle safety industry, focusing on vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. These road users account for more than half of the world’s traffic fatalities every year.
Transforming automotive safety solutions for a multi-modal transport system
“In the coming years, we intend to go from an industry leader to a true industry transformer, not just by leading, but also by setting the trends in our industry. We are proud to be a part of this groundbreaking new vehicle from Nuro. The airbag technology developed for Nuro’s autonomous delivery vehicles illustrate a new generation of traffic safety, designed to protect vulnerable road users,” said Mikael Bratt, president and CEO of Autoliv.
Autoliv’s Mobility Safety Solutions (MSS) develops products and services for businesses adjacent to Autoliv’s core of airbags, steering wheels and seatbelts for light vehicles. Such adjacent products and services include power two-wheelers, connected safety services, and offerings to customers beyond passenger vehicle manufacturers.
“Autoliv’s collaboration with Nuro is an excellent example of how we are now combining our core competence and solid industry experience with the development of products for new markets. By combining our competence and solid industry experience with the development of products for new markets, we can save even more lives,” said Per Lindeberg, VP Mobility Safety Solutions at Autoliv.
Scaling autonomous goods delivery
Nuro’s fully electric, zero-emission vehicles are designed for a full day of operation from a single charge. The company uses 100% renewable energy for all vehicle charging and facilities from wind farms in Texas.
“Safety is one of the core reasons we founded Nuro and remains our top priority. We are thrilled to collaborate with safety leaders like Autoliv to bring one of the first external airbags of its kind to the U.S.,” commented Jiajun Zhu, co-founder and CEO of Nuro.
Nuro became the first company to be granted approval for a self-driving vehicle exemption by the U.S. Department of Transportation, a significant milestone for the industry, and also became the first company to receive a deployment permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, enabling the company to launch the first commercial autonomous vehicle service in the state.
