Volvo Car Group and Waymo have established a strategic partnership that will see the Google-owned self-driving tech company become the car manufacturer’s exclusive L4 (Level 4) partner.
The deal includes Volvo Car Group’s strategic affiliates Polestar and Lynk & Co International, which will benefit from Waymo’s technology as well. Obviously, Volvo Car Group is not Waymo’s exclusive automotive partner.
The tech company already has strong partnerships with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Jaguar Land Rover, and Renault Nissan Mitsubishi. Waymo says these partnerships allow it to advance the deployment of its self-driving tech across a variety of vehicle platforms.
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Volvo XC40 Recharge electric vehicle
So how exactly will Volvo Car Group and Waymo collaborate? At first, the companies will work together with the intention to integrate Waymo’s fully self-driving technology – the Waymo Driver – into “an all-new mobility-focused electric vehicle platform for ride-hailing services.”
Waymo will supply the artificial intelligence for the driverless technology while Volvo will design and manufacture the vehicles. For now, there are no further details about the platform and the markets where it will be available.
Volvo has a separate agreement to deliver vehicles to ride-hailing company Uber, which equips them to operate as self-driving vehicles. The Swedish company will continue to deliver cars to Uber.
Polestar 2 electric vehicle
“Fully autonomous vehicles have the potential to improve road safety to previously unseen levels and to revolutionize the way people live, work and travel. Our global partnership with Waymo opens up new and exciting business opportunities for Volvo Cars, Polestar and Lynk & Co,” said Henrik Green, chief technology officer at Volvo Car Group.
Waymo chief automotive officer Adam Frost added: “This key partnership with Volvo Car Group helps pave the path to the deployment of the Waymo Driver abroad in years to come, and represents an important milestone in the highly competitive autonomous vehicle industry.”
Volvo and Waymo did not say when their new ride-hailing electric vehicle would launch.
