Self-driving cars aren’t common on U.S. roads yet, but progress has accelerated, and investors are eyeing companies like Nuro.
Founded in 2016, Nuro first focused on autonomous food-delivery vehicles. In 2024, it shifted its strategy to licensing its self-driving technology to automakers and other partners. Its platform, Nuro Driver, provides in-vehicle software and hardware that enables Level 2 through Level 4 autonomous capabilities.
Autonomy levels span from Level 0 (driver fully in control) to Level 5 (no human input). Level 4 systems, per the NHTSA, can handle all driving tasks within defined areas without human involvement.
Nuro leans heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) -- a major draw for AI-focused investors looking beyond megacaps like Nvidia or CrowdStrike. The company is led by former Google engineers Jiajun Zhu (CEO) and Dave Ferguson (president). It reached a notable milestone in 2020 when regulators granted an exemption for its R2 vehicle, the first approved self-driving vehicle of its kind.
Anyone considering Nuro stock should understand how to buy shares, its potential IPO timeline, and alternative ways to invest in the autonomous-vehicle or AI sectors.
IPO
When will Nuro IPO?
For people who are patient and comfortable with speculative investments that entail higher degrees of risk -- but offer the chance for higher rewards -- buying IPO stocks presents unique investment opportunities. And while several companies are planning to go public in 2025, it's highly unlikely that Nuro will find itself on the IPO calendar anytime soon.
Is Nuro profitable?
Because Nuro is a privately held company, it isn't subject to the same financial reporting requirements as publicly held companies, so investors don't have the luxury of combing through Nuro's quarterly filings and 10-Ks. As a result, insight into the company's financial circumstances is rather scant, including whether the company is generating a profit.
Should you invest in Nuro?
With its dedication to licensing its autonomous driving technology, investors may find Nuro stock enticing. They're out of luck since the company hasn't held an IPO. If the company proceeds with an IPO, however, it will have to submit regulatory filings, providing investors with much greater insight into the company's financials and helping them to make a more informed decision about whether the stock is a smart investment for them.
Accredited investors may presently be able to gain a position in Nuro but should only proceed if they're comfortable with a more speculative investment.
The bottom line
Nuro may not be delivering food to your front door in the near future, but its partnership with Uber is providing service to limited customers in California and Texas, suggesting the company is farther down the road to growing its operations than some of its peers.
But without an IPO on the horizon, this privately held company isn't an investment opportunity that's widely available. Still, investors can gain indirect exposure to Nuro through investments in Nvidia and Uber, as well as various ETFs that focus on autonomous mobility companies and semiconductor companies.
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