Nuro, the autonomous delivery EV

The company uses self-driving electric vehicles that are powered by renewable energy, meaning that their carbon footprint is as low as you can get.

All Nuro EVs are equipped with special self-driving technologies that make them safe for pedestrians, cyclists and people driving regular cars.

In case of a collision with a pedestrian, for example, the optimized speed and the specially-designed front end of the car will ensure to protect people as well as possible.

To deliver goods, the R2 will drive right to your front alley, so all you have to do is walk up to it to pick up your order, similar to those smart lockers. Unfortunately, due to the fact that there is no driver in the EV, you can't have your package served to the door.

Experts at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute argue that, by design, zero-occupant vehicles can reduce the risk of death in a crash by nearly 60%.

Cognata can help AVs operate in a city before they get there

While autonomous vehicles, or AVs, definitely have their advantage, they also need to be equipped with the proper technology in order to be safe, more on that in a minute.

But there are those who believe that we could "train" self-driving vehicles before they hit the streets of a city, which is why the team at Cognata developed a software solution that can do just that.

Regardless of meteorological or traffic conditions, a simulated city environment can be played out so that robots can learn what and where they need to pay attention to, before being implemented in real life.

Their system can train AVs to recognize street markings, pedestrians, children and automatically switch lanes or park themselves fast and safe for everybody.

The software solution can test one vehicle's ability to travel off the road, as well, meaning that farming and construction equipment could, one day, operate themselves safely on uneven and unmarked terrain.

GhostWave improves sensors for safer AVs

Sensors and cameras are to autonomous vehicles what oxygen is to us. They can't operate without these things, which is why GhostWave aims to improve radar scanners to make AVs safer, but also to improve the safety of cars in general.

To reduce interference that can be caused by other devices, GhostWave's solution uses a chip that produces pseudo-random radio frequencies, a patented device that can help the company overcome the issues met by others. The company's radar system, according to the team behind it, can be used mainly in three applications, namely Unmanned aircraft systems, automotive collision-detection sensors, and studying bees.

Solar-powered microcars are the future of urban driving

When you move around the city, chances are you don't need a big vehicle, as you are most likely going to commute to and from work or buy some groceries, which is why a small vehicle can be all you need for city travelling.

Squad Mobility is one of the companies that bets small EVs will take over cities in the future, especially for urban settlements that are prioritizing smart development, which is why their solar-powered microcar can be ideal for personal city travelling.

Not only does this little thing take up way less space in the parking lot, but it is also powered by the sun via the roof-integrated solar panels. In fact, on a sunny day in Europe, the small car can get as much as 20 km of range back in its batteries, meaning that you don't have to worry at all about charging it yourself.

Sustainability was also a focus for the team at Squad Mobility when they developed this microcar, as it is light and durable, two key-aspects that make using a product like this long-term an eco-friendly solution.

You can read more about the solar-powered microcar and how it can change urban commuting here.

These are just some of the startups that can contribute to the safer, emission-free future of the automotive industry.