Nuro Pivots to Licensing Autonomy Platform
Chipotle launches Hyphen Makeline and Vebu Autocado, foodtech investments recover
Wow, we’re starting this week off with some great news: not only are investments finally starting to tick back up, but Chipotle is rolling out some of its vaunted robots to restaurants near you.
Nuro Paves the Way for Autonomous Future with Licensed AI
Nuro is expanding its business model by licensing its AI-powered autonomy platform, Nuro Driver, to automotive OEMs and mobility providers, enabling up to Level 4 autonomy for both delivery vehicles and passenger transport. Built on Nvidia Drive Thor and Arm Neoverse technology, the platform leverages Nuro's extensive experience with autonomous vehicles, boasting over one million miles driven without at-fault incidents.
Nuro had previously focused on the end-to-end deployment of autonomous delivery vehicles, working with players like CVS, Domino’s, FedEx, 7-Eleven, Kroger, Walmart and Uber, supported by purpose-built driverless delivery vehicles. That model proved costly, which forced the company to cut nearly have its staff over the course of 2022 and 2023. While this new licensing-oriented business model represents an additional service line for the company, Nuro also recently expanded the deployment of its newer R3 vehicles.
Chipotle Begins In-Store Operations for Autocado and Hyphen Makeline
After years of teasing and testing, Chipotle is finally deploying robots to select stores. This morning the fast casual chain announced it was deploying the Vebu Autocado avocado processing cobotic prototype to a store in Huntington Beach, and the Hyphen Augmented Makeline to a location in Corona del Mar; both locations are just a few miles from the company’s Southern California headquarters.
Chipotle notes the updated Autocado can flesh fruit in 26 seconds, and can now handle a wider variety of shapes. Ottomate has extensively covered the Hyphen Makeline (which Chipotle is now referring to as an “Augmented Makeline”) which promises to speed up the 65% of all Chipotle digital orders that are for bowls or salads. See last week’s extra photos from our recent tour of Hyphen’s HQ.
Global Foodtech Investments Recovering
The foodtech sector has had a rough few years, with investments falling from a 2021 high of $54 billion. New data from DigitalFoodLab suggests a recovery is finally here, with 2024 on track to hit $16 billion, up 6% from last year.
Duality AI Develops Autonomy with DARPA
Duality AI is continuing its collaboration with NASA JPL in the second phase of DARPA's RACER program, aimed at developing resilient autonomous systems for off-road vehicles. Using its Falcon digital twin simulator, Duality will help train AI systems for high-speed, off-road navigation, supporting NASA JPL with realistic simulations to test and refine autonomy software. This partnership allows the creation of synthetic data for AI training and offers precise control over virtual environments, advancing the development of autonomous technology for complex terrains.
Duality's Falcon platform, initially developed for RACER, builds on tools from the video game industry to create photorealistic simulations relevant for engineering. By integrating digital twins with various environmental elements, Duality's technology supports autonomous vehicle development in different domains, including air, land, and sea.
In Other News
Geoffrey Hinton and other AI leaders call for defenses against catastrophic risks. Google looks to give AI a robotic body. Kevin Hart shutters plant-based fast food upstart. Where are AI job postings concentrated?
