Uber debuts in autonomous vehicle segment

Uber has announced a third-generation version of its self-driving car in partnership with Volvo. The new XC90 SUV will be built to meet Uber’s technology at the factory level, instead of needing to be fitted like the previous versions of the car.

Its new production will be set by Volvo cars in Sweden. Human controls like steering wheels and brake pedals will not be controlled by humans but by computers.   

Uber’s Chief scientist showed the company’s Artificial Intelligence technology that allows self-driven cars to drive for long distances on highways without any human guidance or maps. 

Uber had purchased and retrofitted 250 Volvo SUVs for self-driving use. “Our goal is to get each one of you to where you want to go much better, much safer, cheaper,” Raquel said.

Eric Meyhofer, the head of Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group also added that the new self-driven vehicle will be known by its internal code number 519G. These are more reliable, safer, and will replace the older vehicles in Uber’s fleet. 

The new XC90 SUV do not have sunroof as the new self-driving cars have large sensors on its roof and they also have automated doors for a safe departure. 

In December, Uber resumed self-driving cars in limited areas of Pittsburgh, nine months after which it got suspended as it met with an accident.   

Volvo will use a similar vehicle concept for its first commercial autonomous drive technology in the early 2020s.

In 2017, Volvo said that the rideshare company has planned to buy 24,000 self-driving cars from Volvo from 2019 to 2021 using the self-driving system developed by Uber Advanced Technologies Group    

Devishi Sachdeva

BW Reporters A budding journalist having a versatile range of interests including tech, photography as well as in the Indian Defence and Foreign Affairs.