Autonomous Driving: Volvo Backs Google Mapping

Fully autonomous driving is certainly not for tomorrow, but cars will make new progress in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Volvo has chosen to work with Google to develop new features, thereby improving its semi-autonomous driving system. The Sino-Swedish company relies on Google’s HD mapping, which it will integrate into its future vehicles.

“Building on our extensive experience in world mapping, Google’s new HD map is specially designed for automakers and provides comprehensive data on roads and location, which are essential for powering the next generation of assisted and autonomous driving systems,” explains Jorgen Behrens, Vice President and General Manager of Geo Automotive at Google.

Google’s HD mapping will work in conjunction with the vehicle’s sensors, cameras, and LiDAR. It will gather information about the route (road profile, traffic, location, etc.), which will then be sent to the central computer. Collecting and processing this data will help improve the operation of driver assistance features used by semi-autonomous systems, such as lane change assist.

Autonomous driving: EX90 and Polestar 3 at the level of Mercedes EQS?

This technological advancement will benefit both Volvo and its sister brand Polestar. It will be launched by the EX90 and the Polestar 3, electric SUVs that will soon be on the market. It remains to be seen whether these two models will be able to compete with the Mercedes EQS, the current benchmark in semi-autonomous driving. Thanks to its Level 3 system (on a scale of 1 to 5), the German sedan can, in certain situations, manage driving itself up to 60 km/h. The driver must still be ready to intervene if needed.

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