Volvo will provide vehicles for Didi Chuxing’s self-driving taxi fleet, according to a new deal between the two companies. The Swedish automaker, which is owned by China’s largest private automaker Geely, will supply XC90 SUVs to Didi Autonomous Driving, the self-driving technology division of China’s vehicle-for-hire company.
Didi said it would use Volvo’s SUVs when it eventually launches a commercial robotaxi operation at a later date. The company has been testing its autonomous technology in Shanghai since 2019 as part of a pilot approved by the Chinese government.
It’s an interesting twist, considering Volvo used to be a partner in another global ride-hailing firm’s autonomous ambitions. Volvo had an agreement with Uber to deploy a…