Volvo Cars and the leading Chinese internet service provider, Baidu have reached an agreement to jointly develop electric and fully autonomous cars.
Volvo are the first foreign manufacturers to collaborate with Baidu to develop customised autonomous cars. This potential partnership will allow both companies to develop and sell vehicles to potential Chinese customers. Volvo have been making great strides in the development of autonomous vehicles and adding more autonomous driving capabilities to their current line-up.
Baidu are not the first internet search providers to develop fully autonomous cars, Google have beaten them to the punch with project Waymo, started way back in 2009 when they sent a fleet of Toyota Prius’ across America and have been slowly introducing the feature in various cities across the US. Current industry forecasts suggests that China will slowly grow into the largest market for autonomous vehicles, and Volvo plan to capitalise on this major industry shift.
Story: Sahej Patheja
