Google’s autonomous cars are not the only ones making headlines, as Volvo has announced that its first self-driving cars are already rolling on the streets of Gothenburg in Sweden. Volvo says that the “Drive Me” project, which includes 100 self-driving cars rolling on public roads in everyday driving conditions, is moving forward rapidly.

“The test cars are now able to handle lane following, speed adaption and merging traffic all by themselves. This is an important step towards our aim that the final ‘Drive Me’ cars will be able to drive the whole test route in highly autonomous mode,” said Erik Coelingh, Technical Specialist at Volvo Car Group.

“The technology, which will be called Autopilot, enables the driver to hand over the driving to the vehicle, which takes care of all driving functions,” he added.

The “Drive Me” project involves all the key players: legislators, transport authorities, a major city, a vehicle manufacturer and real customers. The customers will “drive” the 100 cars in everyday driving conditions on approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) of selected roads in and around Gothenburg. These roads are typical commuter arteries and include motorway conditions and frequent queues.

“Drive Me” is a joint initiative between Volvo Car Group, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Transport Agency, Lindholmen Science Park and the City of Gothenburg, with the Swedish Government endorsing the project.

Scroll down to see how autonomous cars will change our cities in the future according to Volvo’s vision.

By Dan Mihalascu

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