Make Autonomous Cars Street-Legal in Oz, Volvo Says

Swedish automaker Volvo tells a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry self-driving cars could be on sale in the Australian state within five years, if local road laws are changed.

The NSW Staysafe Committee’s public inquiry into driverless cars and road safety is told advances in technology mean fully autonomous self-driving Volvos could be on sale by 2021 and could be safely driven on selected roads.

Volvo was a key player in the first limited trial of driverless cars in Adelaide in November.

Now it wants the NSW government to conduct a self-driving car trial in Sydney before 2021 as part of efforts to address traffic congestion in Australia’s largest city.

Kevin McCann, managing director-Volvo Car Australia, says the automaker believes it is feasible to safely conduct a driverless-car trial in Sydney.

“This would pave the way for changes to the road laws prior to self-driving cars going on sale in NSW,” McCann says in a statement. “This is possible within five years if local road laws are changed to accommodate the cars.”

McCann says having self-driving cars on major roads in Sydney is not science fiction.

“It’s reality, and it is approaching very fast,” he says. “Volvo and other manufacturers have developed self-driving technology and safety features to a very advanced level.

“Major cities around the world, like London and Los Angeles, are planning for it right now.ˮ

McCann says it makes sense for the state government and transport agencies to start planning for technology that could be on the roads by 2021.

Volvo next year will conduct the world’s largest autonomous trial in the Swedish city of Gothenburg involving up to 100 XC90 luxury SUVs being driven by ordinary motorists.