Nuro and 7-Eleven Pilot Autonomous Delivery in California

7-Eleven and Nuro Launch Autonomous Delivery in Mountain View

7-Eleven, a leading convenience store chain, is collaborating with Nuro to initiate a commercial delivery service utilizing autonomous vehicles. This pilot program will begin in Mountain View, California, a city within the Silicon Valley area.

Accessing the Service

Customers can access this innovative delivery option starting December 1st through the 7NOW delivery application offered by 7-Eleven. Initially, the service will employ Nuro’s self-driving Prius vehicles.

The plan is to transition to Nuro’s purpose-built R2 delivery vehicles, designed specifically for package transport and not passenger conveyance.

Previous Delivery Experiments

7-Eleven has previously explored autonomous delivery methods. A test program was conducted in Reno, Nevada in 2016, partnering with drone company Flirtey.

Furthermore, the Korean branch of 7-Eleven recently began testing sidewalk delivery robots created by the local startup Neubility, within Seoul’s southern district.

A Commercial, Yet Limited, Rollout

This collaboration with Nuro is structured as a commercial venture, differing from a purely research-focused project. However, it is being launched as a pilot program.

While intended as a commercial operation, the initial scope will be limited.

Nuro's Regulatory Journey

Nuro has been working to overcome both regulatory and technical challenges to launch commercial operations for several years.

In December 2020, Nuro announced its intention to begin commercial deliveries early this year, following the receipt of a crucial permit allowing driverless services on California’s public roads.

The launch experienced delays, but is now underway. Nuro was the first company to secure this regulatory approval from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Strategic Launch Location

Nuro did not disclose its commercial partner or launch city at the time of the permit approval.

It is logical that Nuro selected its home base of Mountain View for the initial rollout.

Expanding Partnerships

Nuro has already established pilot programs with other companies, including Kroger and FedEx.

Initial Service Area and Expansion Plans

Nuro has not provided a specific timeline for expanding beyond Mountain View, or even beyond the initial 7-Eleven location.

Currently, deliveries will be available only from the 7-Eleven store located at 1905 Latham St., Mountain View.

The intention is to broaden service to additional zip codes in the future, according to a Nuro spokesperson.

Transition to R2 Vehicles

The timing of the switch to the R2 delivery bot remains unspecified, but it represents the ultimate objective.

Nuro and 7-Eleven will jointly determine the optimal time to integrate the R2 into the delivery fleet.

Delivery Details

Customers can place orders through the 7NOW app for delivery in Mountain View between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. PT, without incurring any additional charges.

The app will provide order updates, mirroring the functionality of other delivery services.

Deliveries are expected to arrive within approximately 30 minutes. Items with age restrictions, such as alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets, will not be available for delivery via autonomous vehicles.