Skip to main content

Uber deploys a fleet of self-driving Volvo XC90s, and starts a legal battle

Ridesharing giant Uber has teamed up with Volvo to test self-driving XC90s in real-world conditions on the steep, busy streets of San Francisco. And now the project has kicked off a legal battle, one from which Uber is not backing down.

Earlier this week, Uber announced that a fleet of SUVs would be part of a pilot program designed to help both Uber and Volvo gather data about self-driving cars. A spokesman for the Swedish brand told Digital Trends that the project has already begun. He couldn’t confirm how many XC90s will be dispatched in San Francisco, but he revealed the project will be significantly larger than the one Uber operates in Pittsburgh. Only customers who request an UberX will have the chance to ride in a driverless car, and they can ask for a human driver if they don’t feel comfortable participating in the pilot program.

Recommended Videos

The XC90s participating in the pilot program were assembled alongside the regular model built for customers and shipped to Uber’s workshop, where they were fitted with the company’s self-driving software. Visually, they stand out thanks to lidar equipment and an array of cameras on the roof. They’re fully stock otherwise, and more discreet than the Ford Fusions undergoing testing in Pennsylvania.

Uber explains that testing cars in San Francisco will allow it to learn how its technology reacts to varied weather, narrow lanes, and a relatively high traffic density. However, it’s taking a cautious approach to deploying autonomous cars on public roads. A technician will come along for the ride at all times to take notes on how the car handles different situations, and to take over in the event of an emergency.

When Uber launched the program, it said that it didn’t believe it needed a permit to test the technology in San Francisco because a technician would always monitor the car. State and city officials, however, were quick to disagree.

Just hours after announcing the self-driving tests, California DMV counsel Brian Soublet wrote a letter to Uber’s automation efforts lead Anthony Levandowski, asserting that the state agency would pursue legal action and seek out an injunction if Uber continued to test without a permit. Mayor Ed Lee also demanded that Uber “stop the unpermitted and unlawful testing of autonomous vehicles.”

But on Friday, Uber made clear that it had no intentions whatsoever of slowing down, much less stopping. “We respectfully disagree with the California DMV’s legal interpretation of today’s automation regulations,” Levandowski said in a conference call Friday afternoon. Noting that Tesla’s semiautonomous “Autopilot” function doesn’t require a permit, the automation expert insisted that Uber should be no different.

Needless to say, officials are none too pleased by this argument. “Uber is failing to be a respectful civic partner to the city of San Francisco by choosing to put Uber’s self-interest before the safety of the residents of their hometown,” Ellen Canale, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said in a statement. “The Mayor is working with the DMV, state officials, and the city attorney’s office to explore all possible avenues available to us to enforce state law.”

Alas, it looks as though Uber’s optimism earlier this week in expecting a warm reception for its self-driving tests was misplaced. “Several cities and states have recognized that complex rules and requirements could have the unintended consequence of slowing innovation,” the company said in an earlier press release. “Our hope is that California, our home state and a leader in much of the world’s dynamism, will take a similar view.”

Article originally published on 12-14-2016. Updated on 12-17-2016 by Lulu Chang: Added news of legal battle that has ensued over Uber’s permit-less testing.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern
Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Read more
Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride
A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis. 

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Read more
The week in EV tech: 900 miles, 12 minutes—EV charging just hit warp speed
byd 900 miles 12 minutes seal

Welcome to Digital Trends’ weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles. 
If you’re hesitant about electric vehicles (EV), it’s likely that your top concerns include how far you can drive in a single charge, how long it takes to charge the battery, and how much this advanced tech will cost you. And you're not alone.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study, nearly half of U.S. consumers (49%) still say that available battery driving range is their biggest worry about EVs. That’s followed closely by the time required to charge (46%) and the lingering cost premium (44%) associated with battery electric vehicles.
But that narrative may finally be flipping. Just this past week, two developments showcase how much EV technology has evolved over the past decade: China’s BYD is breaking new grounds on just how far you can drive an EV on a single 12-minute charge. Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf, seen as the first mass-market EV in 2010, is getting an impressive upgrade even as it remains one of the most affordable options on the market.

BYD’s bold battery bet
Chinese auto giant BYD, already the world’s top-selling EV manufacturer, may have just redrawn the limits of battery performance. According to Chinese media, and other reports, the company is testing a new solid-state battery that can add 900 miles of range in just 12 minutes of charging.
Let that sink in. That’s nearly four times the range of many current EVs—enough to drive from New York to Chicago —and charging that’s as fast as a coffee stop.

Read more