Volvo brings Drive-Me trial to UK
Volvo is bringing its autonomous car trial to London and is looking for members of the public to take part.
Autonomous Volvo cars will initially drive through the capital with an engineer behind the wheel ready to take control when necessary as Volvo says the technology is not yet ready to be handed over to members of the public.
However, after running a series of simulations to make the technology safer, it hopes to recruit 100 members of the public who commute on the M40, M4, M25 or A4 to take part in the Drive Me trial in the summer of 2018.
The cars will drive themselves on motorways and dual carriageways, although the drivers will take over in London.
Speaking to The Guardian, Anders Eugensson said, ‘We focus on people who are normally frustrated when they drive to work in the morning. We really want people who say: ‘I think it’s going to be useful for me to be able to use this time’.’
The London Drive Me Trial in London will mirror one in Gothenburg which included the Hain family, members of the public who agreed to use a fully autonomous vehicle on public roads. The vehicle involved in the Swedish trial was marked with a blue stripe and the Drive Me name, but Volvo is undecided if the cars used in London will be similarly marked.
Anders said, ‘We got a mixed reaction from other road users: some tried to damage the car and push it off the road.’
Further trials in America and China are also on the cards.
