Volvo, Uber unveil their first production-ready self-driving car

After joining efforts with the taxi service Uber in 2016, Volvo has finally revealed its first autonomous (self-driving) vehicle based on the Volvo XC90 platform and tech.

The SUV comes armed with a whole array of complicated electronic systems intended to perform such basic functions as steering, braking and gear switching. It relies on numerous sensors scanning the surroundings at all times to find its way to the destination.

So far, the autonomous Volvo XC90 can only navigate certain areas, such as highways and belt roads. Whenever it detects a problem with any of its systems, it will immediately pull up to the curb and park itself. The company even provides a backup battery to make sure all self-driving tech remains adequately powered.

As said above, Volvo and Uber began their cooperation in the area of self-driving vehicle tech in 2016. They estimated the initial required investment at U.S. $300,000,000. Later on, the partners announced that Volvo would provide Uber with tens of thousands of self-driving cars for use in ride sharing services in 2019-2021.

Photos: Uber