Autonomous Volvo Driving Initiative commences real-world user testing

In a groundbreaking move, Volvo Cars has unveiled the user interface for its autonomous, self-driving XC90s, marking the beginning of a new era in automotive technology. The first of these self-driving vehicles will be deployed in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of Volvo's research project to perfect their autonomous systems.

The XC90s will be put to the test in real-world conditions, with families in Sweden serving as the first users. The Hains and the Simonovskis, both couples in their forties with two children, have been selected for this pioneering role. Initially, the families will be driving with their hands on the wheel, but the trials will progress to fully autonomous driving as confidence and safety are established.

These autonomous driving trials in Gothenburg are scheduled to start in 2017, in collaboration with the Swedish Transportation Administration. Volvo expects to learn a great deal from these trials, using the families' experiences to shape the development of their autonomous driving technology.

The Volvo Drive Me project is not limited to Sweden; it will also extend to London and China. In a joint venture with Uber, autonomous Volvo XC90s will be seen on the streets of Pittsburgh before the end of August 2016, and in London, the name of the family doing autonomous drives has yet to be identified. In these cities, the autonomous Volvo XC90s will be used for ride-sharing services as part of the Uber and Volvo partnership.

The Volvo XC90 is the model chosen for Volvo's Drive Me autonomous driving experiment, the self-driving trials in Gothenburg, and the Uber and Volvo joint venture. Data from the families' driving experiences will be used to perfect Volvo's autonomous systems, bringing us one step closer to Volvo's ambitious goal of having no deaths or serious injuries in a new Volvo by 2020.

The first Volvo XC90 for Volvo's Drive Me autonomous driving experiment has already been built in Torslanda, Sweden. Henrik Green, Volvo's Senior VP for R&D, stated that the Drive Me project is an important research project for Volvo Cars, signifying a significant leap towards safer and more efficient driving. As the autonomous XC90s hit the streets, the future of automotive technology is undeniably exciting.