Volvo to launch the largest autonomous driving trial in the U.K.

Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, is to begin the U.K.'s most ambitious Autonomous Driving (AD) trial next year to speed up the introduction of a technology that promises to massively reduce car accidents, as well as free up congested roads and save drivers valuable time.

Volvo's U.K.-based test will be called 'Drive Me London' and will differentiate itself from other AD programmes by using real families driving AD cars on public roads. Drive Me London will begin in early 2017 with a limited number of semi-AD cars and expand in 2018 to include up to 100 AD cars, making it the largest and most extensive AD testing programme on Britain's streets. 

Volvo will source its data from these everyday users and use this data to develop AD cars that are suitable for real-world driving conditions, rather than the more unrealistic conditions found on test tracks. Thatcham Research will be providing the technical data analysis and any professional test drivers needed as part of the trial.

The introduction of AD cars promises to revolutionise Britain's roads in four main areas - safety, congestion, pollution and time saving. In terms of congestion, AD cars allow traffic to move more smoothly, reducing traffic jams and by extension cutting dangerous emissions and associated pollution. Lastly, reduced congestion saves drivers valuable time.