While many automakers and tech companies believe motorists are eager to ditch their cars in favor of shared transportation services, at least one car company banks on personal ownership as a big part of its future business plan. Self-driving capabilities will separate luxury vehicles from the rest of the market for those consumers still interested in buying cars outright, according to Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson.
?I think you still need to have a car which is not just fulfilling the transportation demand, but giving customers emotional value?a premium car,? he said, following an appearance at the 2016 World Mobility Leadership Forum in Detroit. ?To make a car even more premium is one of the most interesting things.?
That concept runs counter to much of the current conventional thinking on autonomous vehicles. More than a few experts have predicted that the technology will take shape in fleets of shared, soulless pods that operate more efficiently by running almost continuously?and that they will diminish the need for personal-vehicle ownership, especially in densely populated urban centers. Only last month, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer forecast the demise of car ownership in cities within the next decade. Volvo does not entirely discount that vision, as its recent partnership with ride-hailing provider Uber indicates. Together, Volvo and Uber are sorting out the construction of vehicles for autonomous ride sharing. A test run of Volvo XC90 SUVs outfitted with Uber soft...