Startup AutoX Unveils Self-Driving Grocery Delivery

To help consumers order fresh produce to their doors, AutoX is rolling out a pilot for self-driving grocery delivery and a mobile store in California. The new service will be available to consumers in geo-fenced areas of San Jose, company said in an announcement.

“We’re very excited to launch the first autonomous grocery delivery and mobile store service in the heart of Silicon Valley with self-driving vehicles on the road,” AutoX Founder and CEO Jianxiong Xiao said in the announcement. “It’s the first step of our mission to democratize autonomy, and is a testament to our cutting edge AI and all its potential capabilities. We believe self-driving car technologies will fundamentally change people’s daily lives for the better.”

To use the service, customers download the AutoX app and can browse for fruits, vegetables and fresh perishables. And, when it comes to the delivery, groceries will be stored in a temperature-controlled environment as they make their way to the consumer in a driverless ride.

The news comes as Kroger, a grocery retailer, announced in June that it is partnering with tech company Nuro for the pilot of an on-road, fully autonomous delivery service for customers. Through the partnership between America’s largest supermarket retailer and the maker of the world’s first fully unmanned road vehicle, customers can place same-day delivery orders through Kroger’s ClickList ordering system and Nuro’s app. During the test, orders will be delivered by Nuro’s fleet of autonomous vehicles.

Yael Cosset, Kroger’s chief digital officer, said, “We are incredibly excited about the potential of our innovative partnership with Nuro to bring the future of grocery delivery to customers today. As part of Restock Kroger, we have already started to redefine the grocery customer experience and expand the coverage area for our anything, anytime and anywhere offering. Partnering with Nuro, a leading technology company, will create customer value by providing Americans access to fast and convenient delivery at a fair price.”