Volvo has signed a non-exclusive framework agreement with Uber, to sell ‘tens of thousands’ of autonomous driving compatible base vehicles between 2019 and 2021, the companies said in a statement.

The base vehicles are developed on Volvo’s in-house Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), the same architecture used on Volvo’s 90-series cars, as well as on the new XC60 midsize SUV.

Volvo engineers have worked closely together with engineers from Uber to develop the XC90 SUVs that are to be supplied to Uber, say the companies.

Volvo will also use the same base vehicle in the development of its own independent autonomous car strategy, which is planned to culminate in the release of its first fully autonomous car in 2021, according to the auto maker.

[Image courtesy: Volvo]