Things are moving fast in the current automotive industry, with every automaker hard at work to develop electric cars and autonomous vehicles. This climate of industry changes is welcoming to new players who want to enter the market. The governments of Canada and the province of Ontario, where most automotive related companies are located in the country, want to increase their place in the industry and become major players, notably in the autonomous driving sector. A program is already in place at the University of Waterloo where engineering students are working to improve the safety and cybersecurity of self-driving vehicles. This program is part of a $1.6 million partnership between the university and Magna International, a major parts supplier that works with most automakers.

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.