French tech company, Navya unveils self-driving sedan

French technology company, Navya unveiled a self-driving sedan yesterday, which does not feature a driver's seat.

Production of the six-passenger electric vehicle will start early 2018, which will speed up the arrival of autonomous vehicles onto streets around the world.

Navya currently has 50 driverless shuttles in operation, which travel at the pace of a good jogger, and are therefore not suited to most driving conditions.

The new sedan, called the Autonom Cab, can make up to 55 mph. Designed to for use in ride-sharing service, it will sell for €250,000 designed to be used in a ride-sharing service.

"We're in the race for the robotaxi," Navya CEO Christophe Sapet told CNN Tech. "It was disappointing to be seen as just as shuttle maker."

Navya will demonstrate the Autonom Cab at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January and in April will begin testing the vehicle in France and the US. According to Sapet, Navya is hoping to test six vehicles in five different cities. The Autonom Cab would still need to prove that it can drive safely on roads.

The company has not announced a target date for broadly reaching consumers after the tests in April.

Meanwhile, the company said in a press release, "Navya unveiled Autonom Cab, an unprecedented response to the challenges of modern mobility, creating a veritable revolution in the urban mobility market. Autonomous, personalised and shared, this unique mobility solution answers the major challenges urban populations face traveling in and around cities.

"In a decisive move toward creating smart cities, the totally electric-powered Autonom Cab provides an intelligent transport service for individual trips in urban centers. The cab was designed from the outset to be autonomous, just like all the vehicles in the Autonom range, meaning that there is no cockpit, steering wheel or pedals. Able to carry one to six passengers, Autonom Cab is a fluid, continuous and effective transportation solution. The Autonom Cab is capable of speeds up to 55 mph, but will average closer to 30 mph as it travels in urban areas to conform with local speed limits."