Valeo's self-driving car takes a public spin in Paris

Valeo's self-driving car, which we detailed back during CES 2015, has gone for a public spin in Paris. The environment it was in was simulated, and so while it wasn't on any actual real-life roads, it did manage to take itself through what it perceived to be as a real road, and it did so without any problems. This comes as auto makers scramble to be the first to get self-driving cars in consumer hands, something that could be happening in just a few short years if all goes as planned.

The self-driving spin took place at the National Army Museum in Paris today, where the auto parts maker Valeo and the defense contractor Safran demonstrated their autonomous, tweaked Volkswagen CC. The car drove through a track created on the Museum's grounds, which was made to simulate an urban environment.

Safran and Valeo partnered up a year and a half ago to work on self-driving technologies, and the result is a self-driving car that uses all sorts of tech, including radar and lidar, cameras, and more. In its course, the car was given a 20 km/h speed limit to follow, and it had to deal with both moving and stopped cars, among other things.

According to workers from both companies, Safran and Valeo are talking with "many manufacturers", but which weren't specified. If all goes as planned, entities are hoping to have self-driving cars whisking commuters around Europe by 2020.

VIA: PC Word Magazine