Automotive

First self-driving vehicle produced for Volvo's public trial

First self-driving vehicle produced for Volvo's public trial
Volvo sees the production of the first fully autonomous car for its Drive Me trial as the beginning of the project
Volvo sees the production of the first fully autonomous car for its Drive Me trial as the beginning of the project
View 11 Images
Volvo sees the production of the first fully autonomous car for its Drive Me trial as the beginning of the project
1/11
Volvo sees the production of the first fully autonomous car for its Drive Me trial as the beginning of the project
The Drive Me trial will use specially modified Volvo XC90 SUVs
2/11
The Drive Me trial will use specially modified Volvo XC90 SUVs
The first car built to take part in the Drive Me trial has rolled off the production line in Torslanda, Sweden
3/11
The first car built to take part in the Drive Me trial has rolled off the production line in Torslanda, Sweden
Drive Me will see real people using fully autonomous cars on public roads
4/11
Drive Me will see real people using fully autonomous cars on public roads
Volvo believes that autonomous driving tech will ultimately help to reduce congestion, pollution and car accidents
5/11
Volvo believes that autonomous driving tech will ultimately help to reduce congestion, pollution and car accidents
Volvo's aim is for no-one to be seriously injured or killed in one of its new cars by 2020
6/11
Volvo's aim is for no-one to be seriously injured or killed in one of its new cars by 2020
The Volvo XC90 SUVs are being fitted with a variety of sensors, including LiDAR, radar and traditional cameras
7/11
The Volvo XC90 SUVs are being fitted with a variety of sensors, including LiDAR, radar and traditional cameras
One camera in the rear-view mirror looks down to detect road markings and another looks back to detect vehicles approaching from the rear
8/11
One camera in the rear-view mirror looks down to detect road markings and another looks back to detect vehicles approaching from the rear
Behind the windscreen there is a radar and a camera
9/11
Behind the windscreen there is a radar and a camera
There is a camera integrated into the car's badge and a LiDAR sensor in the lower grill
10/11
There is a camera integrated into the car's badge and a LiDAR sensor in the lower grill
The Autonomous Driving Brain fuses the data and uses it to inform the actions of the vehicle
11/11
The Autonomous Driving Brain fuses the data and uses it to inform the actions of the vehicle
View gallery - 11 images

The first car built to take part in Volvo's Drive Me trial has rolled off the production line in Torslanda, Sweden. Described by Volvo as "the world's most ambitious and advanced public autonomous driving experiment," Drive Me will see real people using fully autonomous cars on public roads.

Although the cars aren't scheduled to hit the road until next year, Volvo sees this as the beginning of the project, which will be run in Gothenburg with special "hands-off and feet-off" zones allowing for full autonomous use.

The carmaker has been at the forefront of the autonomous driving revolution, most recently in partnering with Uber to ferry passengers around in self-driving taxis and in trialing a self driving truck in an underground mine.

The Autonomous Driving Brain fuses the data and uses it to inform the actions of the vehicle
The Autonomous Driving Brain fuses the data and uses it to inform the actions of the vehicle

For the Drive Me trial, Volvo XC90 SUVs are being fitted with a variety of sensors, including LiDAR, radar and traditional cameras. The information from the source sensors is then brought together by a powerful computer that Volvo calls the Autonomous Driving Brain in a process called data fusion. The fused data is used to inform the actions that the cars take.

Volvo says that the Drive Me project differs from others in its customer-focused approach. By researching with real drivers in real-world situations, it hopes to gain insights that more controlled research approaches may not yield.

Subsequent to the Drive Me project getting underway Gothenburg, another leg is planned for launch in London. Volvo says it is considering interest from cities in China too.

Volvo has high hopes for autonomous driving tech. It's already introducing semi-autonomous technologies to help with its aim for no-one to be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo by the year 2020, and is looking to begin introducing fully autonomous cars commercially by around 2021.

Source: Volvo

View gallery - 11 images
1 comment
1 comment
CharlieSeattle
This will be a bit more complex than the lousy Made In China airbags and lithium power cells that fail to work or explode.
And you want me to bet my life on this outsourced to the lowest bidder?
I don't think so.