Volvo to Conduct Autonomous Driving Test in China

Volvo Cars is set to launch China’s most advanced autonomous driving (AD) experiment in which local drivers will test autonomous driving cars on public roads in everyday driving conditions. Up to a hundred cars will be involved in this experiment and the test will begin in the coming months. Negotiations are going on with authorities from several cities to see which city is able to provide the necessary permissions, regulations and infrastructure for it.

The Swedish automaker invented the seat belt in 1959 and is now pioneering the development of autonomous driving systems. The manufacturer is working towards staying true to its commitment that no one will be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by the year 2020. Also, Volvo believes that the introduction of AD technology will reduce car accidents, free congested roads, reduce pollution, and allow drivers to utilise their time more productively.

The question still remains the same – is the world ready for self-driving cars? There are too many uncertainties during a drive, but by driving, you can reduce the number of variables. Also, one can be pretty sure that the ‘driver’ will be a lot more tense with the autonomous actions of the car, rather than being relaxed and using his/her time ‘more productively’. But all innovations take their time to improve and perfect, and the initial steps by Google and Tesla have been promising.

Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo said, “There are multiple benefits to AD cars. That is why governments need to put in place the legislation to allow AD cars onto the streets as soon as possible. The car industry cannot do it all by itself. We need governmental help. Our starting point is that both the public and private sectors stand to benefit from new technologies and industries, so it is better to build bridges and work together than to all go in different directions.”

This is a huge step by Volvo and going by its reputation of refinement, this AD project is expected to be a success.

Volvo’s Drive Me Project in Gothenburg

Also read: Google's Self-Driving Car Stopped by Cop for Being Too Slow!