Volvo takes a rather different approach when it comes to developing autonomous cars. Instead of involving just the researchers and engineers to work on the technology, as is usually the case, Volvo is working with the end user, the people. The Hain family from Gothenburg in Sweden, has been chosen to take part in a real-life autonomous drive research program using real cars, in real traffic.
The Hain family with Volvo Cars President & CEO Håkan Samuelsson (Right) at 2017 NAIAS, Detroit
“We do things differently at Volvo Cars – we always have,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Car Group. “Our main focus has always been on people and making their lives easier. Technology should improve the consumer experience making mobility safer, sustainable and more convenient.”
Volvo says, many car makers are forgetting that the end user of the technology are the people, so this approach is to define the technology based on the role of the driver – not the other way around. This “people first” research project is named Drive Me.
“The aim of the Drive Me research project is to focus on how to enhance people’s lives and have a positive impact on society. We take a holistic rather than a purely technical approach to our research and development processes. No one else to our knowledge is developing autonomous drive from a human-centric standpoint,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President, Research and Development at Volvo Car Group.
The Drive Me project is a collaborative research program consisting of several players from public, private and academic fields. The project will see up to 100 autonomous cars on the roads around Gothenburg, Sweden, home to Volvo Cars, driven by real people in real traffic during 2017. Volvo hopes to expand this project to other cities around the world in the near future.
“We want to learn more around how people feel when they engage and disengage autonomous drive, what the handover should be like, and what sort of things they would do in the car when it’s driving them to their destination,” added Henrik Green.
The Swedish car maker aims to have its first fully autonomous car on the market by 2021.
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