Volvo presented its brand new autonomous driving system as part of CES 2022. Still in the test phase, it will allow, according to the manufacturer, to engage in other activities during a journey.
Source: Volvo
Autonomous driving has become the workhorse of many car manufacturers. The players in the sector surround themselves with specialists and engage the services of specialized companies, to develop and implement ever more advanced systems which offer new capacities to our electric and thermal cars.
If Tesla is regularly cited as a pioneer in this area, although Mercedes is now walking the beds, other manufacturers are working hard to design their own solutions. This is for example the case of Volvo, which presented a brand new system during CES 2022 organized this week in Las Vegas.
Flock of sensors
Volvo named its solution Ride Pilot, which is probably based on the latest generation of the Snapdragon ride platform, introduced by Qualcomm during the show. The Swedish brand also called on the specialist companies Zenseact and Luminar, one of its technological partners.
Source: Volvo
What new possibilities will the Ride Pilot system offer? ” LDrivers will save time while driving, which can be replaced by another activity such as reading, writing, work or social activities», Explains the group.
And to continue: “This system can also help drivers arrive at their destination rested, reducing the stress and fatigue that driving can cause, especially in heavy traffic or congestion.“. Volvo describes mainly uses here, but does not really go into detail with specific scenarios.
The question of the legal framework
The use cases described nevertheless seem to pose certain conditions. For example, the majority of laws do not yet allow you to read a book or write an email in an urban environment, without keeping your hands on the wheel or remaining attentive to your surroundings. This type of activity should therefore be reserved for portions of highways.
Source: Volvo
Moreover, Volvo does not specify what level of autonomous driving its system will reach. On the other hand, the Geely subsidiary has carefully chosen its playground to implement its solution: California, “where the climate, traffic and the legal framework provide a favorable environment for the launch of autonomous driving“.
Then, numerous checks and other protocols will lead to the final validation of the technology, which can then be used on Volvo’s next electric SUV. The latter will include a LiDAR sensor supplied by Luminar, five radars, eight cameras and sixteen ultrasonic sensors, all associated with software.
A paying option
In order to make all of these investments profitable, Volvo intends to pay for its Ride Pilot in the form of an option. Much like Tesla with “Fully Autonomous Driving Capabilities”.
In the future, the company aims to deploy its system in other markets: obviously, the laws will decide its fate.
General Motors, which canceled its visit to CES 2022, has still lifted the veil on three new electric vehicles that occupy the SUV and pick-up segment. Presentation.
Read more
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS application. You will be able to read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.