Self-driving cars have received mixed attention since the technology debuted. They’ve been hailed as convenient alternatives to traditional cars. On the other hand, there was an incident with an autonomous car causing the death of a woman. There are pro and cons to the technology, but it hasn’t stopped Volvo from releasing their own version of a self-driving car.
The 360c autonomous concept car is being presented as a machine that could replace short-haul air travel. Volvo’s head of corporate strategy, Marten Levenstam, said the car is designed to offer “a glimpse at how autonomous drive technology will change the world as we know it. The possibilities are mind-boggling.”
“We regard the 360c as a conversation starter, with more ideas and answers to come as we learn more. Yet we believe autonomous drive has the potential to fundamentally change our society in many ways. It will have a profound impact on how people travel, how we design our cities and how we use infrastructure. But we are just one of many stakeholders, so we expect and invite a broad discussion as society learns how to make the most of this revolutionary technology.”
Presented as a Level 5 autonomous vehicle, the 360c is electrically powered. The Level 5 aspect means that it requires no driving input at all. The interior can be configured as a mobile bedroom, an office or living room. Theoretically, this could open up the possibility of sleeping while the car drove to a specific destination.
Volvo believes self-driving cars could become an alternative to travelling by plane at night. The 360c could become a business class cabin with a bed. Volvo have suggested trips involving flights of around 200 miles could be quicker in a self-driving car.
Levenstam added “people becoming less reliant on proximity to cities is just one example of the impact of removing the burden of unproductive travel time. The 360c driving office makes it viable for people to live at greater distances from crowded cities and use their time both in a more pleasant and more effective way.”
Volvo is of the opinion that autonomous cars can improve safety, reduce pollution and lower traffic congestion. The 360c is certainly an intriguing vehicle, though self-driving technology still has a long way to go before it replaces traditional car travel.
