Volvo and Uber achieve full automation

Volvo and Uber have developed a fully autonomous vehicle which could enable safe, reliable autonomous ridesharing without the need for a driver. This is part of the joint agreement signed between the companies in 2016, which includes engineering collaboration and the future delivery of tens of thousands of driverless vehicles.

The Volvo XC90 SUV is equipped with key safety features that allow Uber to install its own self-driving system, enabling the possible future deployment of self-driving cars in Uber’s network as an autonomous ridesharing service.

The most important features of Volvo Cars’ autonomous drive-ready production vehicle include several back-up systems for both steering and braking functions, as well as battery back-up power. If any of the primary systems should fail for some reason, the back-up systems are designed to immediately act to bring the car to a stop.

In addition to Volvo’s built-in back-up systems, an array of sensors atop and built into the vehicle are designed for Uber’s self-driving system to safely operate and manoeuvre in an urban environment.

Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, said, ‘We believe autonomous-drive technology will allow us to further improve safety, the foundation of our company.

‘By the middle of the next decade, we expect one-third of all cars we sell to be fully autonomous. Our agreement with Uber underlines our ambition to be the supplier of choice to the world’s leading ride-hailing companies.’

Eric Meyhofer, CEO of Uber Advanced Technologies Group, added, ‘Working in close cooperation with companies like Volvo is a key ingredient to effectively building a safe, scalable, self-driving fleet. Volvo has long been known for its commitment to safety, which is the cornerstone of its newest production-ready self-driving base vehicle. When paired with our self-driving technology, this vehicle will be a key ingredient in Uber’s autonomous product suite.’

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