Self-driving cars have the potential to make roads much safer. They remove human error from the equation, and human error is the cause of most accidents, and even traffic congestion.
However, the shift will not be easy.
We human beings, flawed as we are, are not so willing to hand over control to machines.
Volvo understands that. Unlike other companies which have introduced self-driving concepts whose interiors look like moving lounges, Volvo Concept 26 looks like a regular car. And it is just a regular car.... until you switch to self-driving mode.
While you always have the option, in Concept 26, to drive yourself like you always have, you can switch to "Create" or "Relax" modes, which move the driver's seat back from the steering wheel, giving you room to unwind and do something else.
The autopilot interface is designed to give you control, even in self-driving modes. You can always see what actions the car is about to take on display screens, and you can even customize the vehicle's driving behaviors and chosen route.
At Pedersen Volvo, we hope to see self-driving models in our new inventory in a few years' time.