Walmart announced that it will begin experimenting with self-driving cars in a pilot program with General Motors-backed Cruise (a tech start-up with electric, self-driving cars) to deliver groceries and other products to neighborhoods in Phoenix, Arizona. The program will launch in 2021. The fleet of cars will use electricity from renewable resources to curb carbon emissions from the operation.

Customers will be able to place an order from their local store and have the products delivered contact-free by one of Cruise’s self-driving cars. The goal is to save customers time and money while also experimenting with technology that will help the environment.

While the pandemic has halted lots of autonomous vehicle companies’ plans to launch all sorts of services across many different cities in the U.S., the need for contact-free delivery, including prescription deliveries, has led many companies like Cruise to use the technology to fill that need.

Photo of Kathryn Rattigan Kathryn Rattigan

Kathryn Rattigan is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Data Privacy+ Cybersecurity Team. She concentrates her practice on privacy and security compliance under both state and federal regulations and advising clients on website and mobile app privacy and security…

Kathryn Rattigan is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Data Privacy+ Cybersecurity Team. She concentrates her practice on privacy and security compliance under both state and federal regulations and advising clients on website and mobile app privacy and security compliance. Kathryn helps clients review, revise and implement necessary policies and procedures under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). She also provides clients with the information needed to effectively and efficiently handle potential and confirmed data breaches while providing insight into federal regulations and requirements for notification and an assessment under state breach notification laws. Prior to joining the firm, Kathryn was an associate at Nixon Peabody. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Roger Williams University School of Law and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Stonehill College. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.