A self driving Volvo XC90 by Uber seen in San Francisco. (Wikipedia)Swedish automaker Volvo will supply up to 24,000 cars equipped with autonomous technology to Uber between 2019 and 2021 according to an agreement signed by the two companies, Reuters has reported.
As part of the non-exclusive agreement that the two giants have reached, Volvo will supply its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) based vehicles to Uber, which will add its own autonomous-driving hardware.
Uber accepted combining Volvo's cars with its self-driving system after the ride-hailing giant’s autonomous driving unit was hit by an intellectual property lawsuit filed by Waymo and the departure of top talent.
Volvo’s XC90s, supplied to Uber in a smaller number under an agreement signed in August 2016, form the backbone of the company's autonomous-driving test fleet.
If Uber does buy up to 24,000 cars, it would be Volvo's largest order by far and the biggest sale in the autonomous vehicle industry.
With the deal in place, Uber will have a fleet large enough to start commercial autonomous ride sharing. However, it's unclear if that is the company's goal.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.