Volvo Cars and ride-sharing company Uber will join forces to develop autonomous driving (AD) cars.
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“Volvo is one of the most progressive and contemporary auto makers in the world”, said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO at Volvo observes that “we are very proud to be the partner of choice for Uber, one of the world’s leading technology companies”.
“Over one-million people die in vehicle accidents every year”, says Uber CE Travis Kalanick.
Founded by former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski and launched out of stealth in May this year, Otto initially released a dispatch platform for trucks, but is working on self-driving technology that can be fitted into existing trucks that allow drivers to automate driving on a highway. These are tragedies that self-driving technology can help solve, but we can’t do this alone.
“Volvo is a leader in vehicle development and best-in-class when it comes to safety”. “Together with Uber, we will create the future of commercial transportation: first, self-driving trucks that provide drivers unprecedented levels of safety; and second, a platform that matches truck drivers with the right load wherever they are”, Otto said on its website. “That’s why our partnership with a great manufacturer like Volvo is so important”.
Human standby drivers will be phased out within two years according to Uber.
Uber also announced that it has acquired Otto, an autonomous technology startup focusing on autonomous trucks.
One of the more interesting developments of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is its use as a fully-autonomous taxi by GM in collaboration with ride-sharing company Lyft.
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Starting sometime this month, Uber customers will be able to summon Uber rides from their phones as usual, but the self-driving cars will be sent to customers at random.
