--- title: "Volvo Will Supply Uber With 24,000 Self-Driving Cars" description: "The Swedish automaker began supplying small batches of cars to Uber last year." date: "2017-11-20" modified: "2017-11-20" authors: - name: "Stephen Edelstein" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/16245/volvo-will-supply-uber-with-24000-self-driving-cars" categories: - "News" tags: - "Autonomous Cars" - "ride sharing" - "self-driving cars" - "Tech" - "Uber" - "Volvo" --- # Volvo Will Supply Uber With 24,000 Self-Driving Cars ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Uber and Volvo are ramping up their self-driving car partnership. The Swedish automaker will supply 24,000 cars equipped with autonomous technology to the ride-hailing giant between 2019 and 2021, according to a framework agreement signed by the two companies. The new non-exclusive agreement will see Volvo supply base vehicles to Uber, which will add its own autonomous-driving hardware. A Volvo press release said the company would supply "tens of thousands" of cars, but a spokesperson quoted a specific number of 24,000 to [*Reuters*](). Volvo said all cars will be based on its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, but did not say specifically which models would be supplied to Uber. Current SPA-based Volvo models include the XC90 and XC60 SUVs, S90 sedan, and V90 wagon (along with its Cross Country spinoff). Under a strategic agreement signed [in August 2016](), Volvo supplied a smaller number of XC90s to Uber, which now form the backbone of the company's autonomous-driving test fleet. Uber previously used modified Ford Fusion sedans to test its autonomous-driving tech, although it never had an official relationship with the Blue Oval. Uber is currently testing self-driving cars on public roads in Pennsylvania, California, and Arizona, but a shadow has been cast on the program in the form of an [ongoing legal battle with Waymo](). The former Google self-driving car project believes Uber used trade secrets stolen by engineer Anthony Levandowski. Uber also faces greater competition from rival Lyft, which [has an alliance with Waymo]() and is [getting more serious about self-driving cars](). If Uber really does buy up to 24,000 cars from Volvo, it would likely be the largest order of its kind to date. It could also give Uber a large enough fleet to start commercial autonomous ride sharing, although it's unclear if that is the company's goal. The ability to hail a ride in an autonomous is the end goal, but Uber may simply ramp up its testing program, taking advantage of new federal laws that expand safety waivers for prototype self-driving cars. Agreements like the one between Uber and Volvo could become commonplace if self-driving cars become commercial realities. Tech companies developing autonomous-driving systems and ride-sharing services probably won't want to deal with the cost and complexity of building their own cars, meaning they'll have to rely on existing automakers for fleets of vehicles. ## Author Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read. ### Author social links [Twitter]()