What Nuro's focus on last-mile delivery might mean for the autonomous vehicle sector

The self-driving car industry is developing rapidly, and companies are competing not just to perfect the technology first, but also to figure out and execute the type of autonomous vehicle model that's most likely to be profitable and accepted by the general public. Originating as Google's self-driving car project, Waymo remains a frontrunner in bringing consumer-owned fully autonomous vehicles to market. But another startup, with interestingly similar origins, has the potential to shift the industry -- and help bring us to an autonomously driven future. Remaining stealthily in development for the past several years, the startup Nuro was founded by two engineers who contributed to Google's self-driving car project back when it was still a part of Google. But instead of trying to automate a fleet of taxis, provide hands-free transportation for individual commuters, or replace truck drivers for cross-country trips, Nuro is focusing on an entirely different segment.