Volvo to supply "tens of thousands" of autonomous cars to Uber
Ride hailing app will use Volvo’s self-driving technology
Volvo and Uber have announced a deal that will see the Swedish manufacturer provide autonomous cars to the ride-sharing company.
Uber is set to be provided with “tens of thousands” of cars by Volvo between 2019 and 2021.
The self-driving vehicles will be based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) vehicles, which currently underpins its range-topping XC90, as well as the new XC60.
The new deal is the latest development in a non-exclusive agreement signed between the two companies in 2016 to develop driverless vehicles.
Volvo will also be using the self-driving cars provided to Uber for its own independent development plans. It expects to release its first fully autonomous car in 2021.
Jeff Miller, head of auto alliances for Uber, said: “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Volvo.
“This new agreement puts us on a path towards mass-produced self-driving vehicles. ”
Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, said: “The automotive industry is being disrupted by technology, and Volvo Cars chooses to be an active part of that disruption.
“Our aim is to be the supplier of choice for ride-sharing service providers globally. Today’s agreement with Uber is a primary example of that strategic direction.”
To aid development of self-driving technology, Uber has also created its own replica town, named Almono.
Based in American city Pittsburgh, the test facility features roundabouts, fake cars, motorised mannequins that jump into the road, and containers as buildings in an effort to create an accurate real-world simulation.
