Swisscom, in partnership with Germany’s Autonomos Labs and UVEK (the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications) is enabling the first driverless car to take to Swiss roads. The test is conducted on the streets of Zurich from the 4th of May to the 14th. The autonomous driving test features VW Passat that is fitted with sensors, computers and software, by Autonomos Labs, being driven by a 'computer' across routes approved by UVEK.
The autonomous driving involves the computer driving, steering and braking the vehicle autonomously, and detecting other vehicles and pedestrians by means of laser scanners, radar and video cameras. Special software analyses the data, recognises driving situations and issues the driving commands. There will also be specially trained drivers behind the steering wheel to ensure the necessary safety. 
According to Swisscom, the driverless car enables them to gather empirical data for future mobility and to understand the impact to communication networks. The Operator aims to understand on how vehicles, objects and people are optimally networked. Swisscom is also currently conducting tests in Zurich and Geneva on an alternative network for the Internet of Things, through which everyday objects can communicate with minimal energy consumption.
Christian Petit, Head of Enterprise Customers, Swisscom
Swisscom is not turning into a car manufacturer. But future innovations in the automotive industry will centre on networking with the environment. For this reason, the driverless car is a prime example of digitisation and therefore of great interest to us.
