Volvo Cars, the Chinese owned automaker, this morning produced the first autonomous XC90 that will be used in the Drive Me project in Gothenburg by civilians. The XC90 crossover SUV was completed in Volvo Cars’ special manufacturing facility in Torslanda, Sweden (Torslandaverken) as the first in a series of autonomous cars that will – eventually – be driven by real families in Gothenburg on public roads.
Volvo has assumed all financial and legal responsibility in what is, arguably, the most ambitious autonomous car testing program to date since it will use real people and not just engineers. Money-making introduction is planned around 2021.
Across the auto industry it is widely, and perhaps cynically, believed that the introduction of autonomous drive technology will reduce vehicle accidents, many of them caused by distracted drivers using web based internet features that automakers and cell phone and internet providers are profitably providing. The nascent technology could also free up congested roads – although that remains to be seen – reduce pollution and allow drivers to use their time in their cars doing something other than driving.
Volvo currently offers a semi-autonomous functionality called Pilot Assist on its 90 series cars. Pilot Assist gives “gentle steering inputs” to keep the car aligned within lane markings up to 130 km/h without the need to follow another car. The Drive Me cars will add hands-off and feet-off capability in special autonomous drive zones around Gothenburg, using what Volvo calls the Autonomous Driving Brain, which presumably will replace the brains of distracted drivers at some point in the future.
Volvo’s stated goal is that no one will be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by the year 2020.
