Volvo To Launch Unsupervised Autonomous Tech On New Flagship Electric SUV In California

Volvo today announced that it will be introducing “Ride Pilot,” its unsupervised autonomous driving feature in California first.

The company plans to introduce the technology on its upcoming flagship electric SUV, once it has been verified as safe for use on highways. The automaker believes it will be ready to begin testing Ride Pilot in California by the middle of 2022 and has previously tested autonomous functions in Sweden.

“We are proud to announce the planned US launch of our first truly unsupervised autonomous driving feature, as we look to set a new industry standard for autonomy without compromising safety,” said Mats Moberg, head of research and development at Volvo Cars. “Having Zenseact’s brand new AD software and Luminar’s LiDAR standard in our new fully electric SUV is a game-changer for Volvo Cars, as well as for automotive safety and autonomous driving.”

The system will utilize more than two dozen sensors, including Luminar’s cutting-edge Iris LiDAR sensors to keep the system working safely. The system uses five radar sensors, eight cameras, and 16 ultrasonic sensors as standard to ensure excellent perception reliability.

Ride Pilot will also benefit from over-the-air software updates to allow for redundancies and make it safer.

Per Volvo, the name Ride Pilot was chosen to imply what the driver can expect from it. “When the car is driving on its own, Volvo Cars takes responsibility for the driving, offering the driver comfort and peace of mind.” That means that operators will be able to read, write, work, or socialize while Ride Pilot is active.

The Volvo Recharge Concept show at CES 2022 hints at the brand’s flagship SUV coming this year

The automaker says it chose California as the first location to roll out Ride Pilot because of its favorable weather and regulatory conditions. It does, however, plan to roll it out to more and more locations around the world.

Much like other driver-assist systems, Ride Pilot will be available as an add-on subscription. As mentioned above, it will first be offered on Volvo’s upcoming flagship electric SUV, which is slated to be unveiled later this year.