Volvo is quickly becoming one of the most vocal companies about autonomous driving and it's expanding the areas where it's testing its vehicles. The next stop: China.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Volvo says it will deploy as many as 100 cars on public roads in Chinese cities that are willing to allow the autonomous vehicles. The company says vehicles equipped with the technology will go a ways to reduce collisions, move traffic faster and reduce pollution. China seems like a perfect country for progress in those departments.
"Autonomous driving can make a significant contribution to road safety," Volvo Cars President Håkan Samuelsson said in the release, ahead of a seminar in Beijing on April 7, called "Autonomous driving – could China take the lead?". "The sooner AD cars are on the roads, the sooner lives will start being saved."
Volvo's latest models are among the first to be able to be driven at highway speeds and come equipped for autonomous driving, but time will tell how customers respond. Yet the company is determined this is the way forward, especially if it reduces traffic and makes driving safer in crowded cities.
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