
On Monday, the Ford Motor Company made news with the announcement that it will build a fleet of self-driving ride-share vehicles. Whether or not that news had any impact at Uber is unknown, but today Uber and Volvo announced plans to partner on a $300 million program to develop fully autonomous vehicles by 2021, a year that now promises plenty of self-driving vehicles (we're expecting one from BMW as well).
"Volvo is one of the most progressive and contemporary car makers in the world. It is a world leader in the development of active safety and autonomous drive technology and possesses an unrivaled safety credibility. We are very proud to be the partner of choice for Uber, one of the world’s leading technology companies. This alliance places Volvo at the heart of the current technological revolution in the automotive industry," said Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo CEO.
Uber's boss, Travis Kalanick, was similarly upbeat: "Over one million people die in car accidents every year. These are tragedies that self-driving technology can help solve, but we can’t do this alone. That’s why our partnership with a great manufacturer like Volvo is so important. Volvo is a leader in vehicle development and best-in-class when it comes to safety. By combining the capabilities of Uber and Volvo we will get to the future faster, together."