Volvo is taking its Drive Me experimental autonomous driving program to another level and wants to start the largest project of this type in China.
The Swedish company has already announced it will test a fleet of 100 self-driving cars in Gothenburg, and now they plan to do the same in China.
This time, Volvo did not choose a single city in which to test their self-driving vehicles, but is negotiating with several that are interested in the project.
Once Volvo gets the approval for testing its self-driving vehicles in China, the Swedish brand will be one step closer to having a range of production cars able to drive themselves.
Since China is the world’s largest new car market, Volvo believes that the country could also start a revolution in the field of self-driving cars.
Hakan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Cars, attended a seminar in Beijing on April 7, which was focused on autonomous driving. The meeting was set from the start as an open discussion to discover whether China could take the lead on autonomous driving technology.
Autonomous vehicle technology can also bring an improvement in China’s famous traffic congestions. Furthermore, customers could also be interested in saving time and reducing pollution, two factors which shaped other industries so far and which will change the automotive industry as well. Considering China’s issues with pollution, congestion, and road safety, Volvo’s quest in this country is an excellent idea.
Volvo has a strong point of view on autonomous cars, and the company has publicly announced no person will be killed or seriously injured in any new vehicle manufactured by them after the year 2020. The Swedish automaker bets on autonomous cars to ensure it will have a chance of fulfilling its promise.
However, fully autonomous cars will not be the only solution provided by Volvo for the elimination of deaths and serious injuries on the passengers of their cars by 2020, as the carmaker has a well-known focus on passive and active safety.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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