Volvo unveils first fully self-driving vehicle for Uber

June 12 (UPI) -- Uber and automaker Volvo on Wednesday unveiled a new self-driving sport-utility vehicle they say is the next step in reaching autonomous rideshare transportation.

The companies presented the XC90, which they said is the first fully self-driving production vehicle to combine with Uber's autonomous system.

"We believe autonomous-drive technology will allow us to further improve safety, the foundation of our company," said Volvo President and CEO Hakan Samuelsson. "By the middle of the next decade, we expect one-third of all cars we sell to be fully autonomous. Our agreement with Uber underlines our ambition to be the supplier of choice to the world's leading ride-hailing companies."

The vehicle has systems and sensors to control steering and braking functions, as well as battery back-up power, should one of the systems fail. It's designed to operate in an urban environment, the firms said.

"Working in close cooperation with companies like Volvo is a key ingredient to effectively building a safe, scalable, self-driving fleet," Uber Advanced Technologies Group CEO Eric Meyhofer said.