Episode 253 | Nuro’s Bold Pivot to Licensing

Andrew Chapin, Chief Operating Officer, Nuro joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss Nuro’s bold pivot to licensing their autonomous driving stack instead of scaling their autonomous robot delivery business. 

As part of the strategic pivot, Nuro has developed the Nuro Driver, which can drive on surface streets and is designed to be adaptable across multiple vehicle platforms. Nuro’s strategy centers on licensing its autonomous driving technology to mobility service platforms, OEMs, and potential fleet operators, with a focus on North America. 

By remaining an independent company, Nuro aims to provide flexibility in tailoring solutions to customer needs and maintaining capital efficiency. The company expects to power robotaxis, delivery services, and L2+ to L3 autonomous systems in the coming years.

Recorded on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Episode Chapters

0:00 Nuro’s Pivot to Licensing 

4:36 Advantages of Being Independent 

7:08 Capital Allocation

10:42 Nuro Licensing Model 

15:51 Could More Autonomy Companies Pivot to Licensing?

17:44 Nuro Driver ODD

21:01 Driver-Out on Highways

23:31 Nuro Vehicle Platforms 

27:53 Scaling Nuro’s Licensing Business 

32:32 Insurance + Validation 

35:41 Future of Nuro

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