Volvo Self Driving Car

Volvo have confirmed that they are currently testing approximately 100 S60 and V60 self driving models. The new models will undergo a number of rigorous testing trials along with day to day driving trials in the Volvo country of Sweden.

Gothenburg will be the home of self driving Volvo models for the next two years. During that time results will be analysed and any changes will be made. If the self driving technology is considered a success it will be rolled out across the range by 2017.

The Volvo manufacturer has not been involved in the race to become the worlds number one electric car manufacturer and instead has been focusing on developing the technology within the engine. Volvo have confirmed that they have developed a new range of engines that have the ability to rival the figures achieved by the likes of electrically powered models such as the Nissan Leaf amongst others.

The Volvo brand also announced recently that they had been trialling new KERS technology that could help reduce fuel emissions dramatically and help give petrol engines the advantage over electrically powered and hybrid powered models.

The autonomous car models will continuously navigate a select number of routes that have a span of 32 miles. It is believed that the trials will be testing a number of factors including lane discipline and merging into traffic.

Google have been working with Toyota to develop the autonomous technology that will be the biggest competitor to the Swedish brand. Toyota have been the worlds biggest manufacturer for a number of years and have been one of the most proactive brands in the automotive market in terms of technology.

The Toyota brand dominated the hybrid car market for over five years with the Prius model and later lost out with the success of the Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf has offered something different in the terms of the alternative fuel and the fuel emission figures.