Volvo partners with Uber to develop self-driving cars

Volvo and Uber have announced a partnership to collaborate on autonomous car development as part of a USD$300 million deal, which will see Volvo sell 100 XC90 SUVs to Uber by the end of the year. In the long-term, both companies will work together on new base vehicles that will incorporate autonomous driving technologies.

The XC90s sold to Uber will not feature any advanced self-driving technology from Volvo, but will instead be outfitted with technology self-developed by Uber. Therefore, Volvo will continue to work on its own autonomous tech separately from Uber, though they will both share the same underlying vehicle platforms.

The Uber-prepped XC90s will be used as self-driving taxis to ferry customers around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, according to the Wall Street Journal. During the test run, two Uber employees will be in the front seats to serve as an emergency backup, and will take over the steering wheel if necessary.

“Volvo is a world leader in the development of active safety and autonomous drive technology and possesses an unrivaled safety credibility. We are very proud to be the partner of choice for Uber, one of the world’s leading technology companies. This alliance places Volvo at the heart of the current technological revolution in the automotive industry,” said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.

However, Volvo isn’t the only company to join up with Uber as Ford is also collaborating with the ride-sharing service provider. Currently roaming around Pittsburgh is a fleet of self-driving Ford Fusion Hybrids (Mondeo), which are equipped with radars, laser scanners and high-res cameras to capture its surroundings.

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