BEIJING -- Volvo Cars Chairman Li Shufu says that the autonomous driving industry should move forward prudently in the wake of a deadly accident in the United States this month that has rekindled a debate about safety.
Li, the head of Volvo owner Zhejiang Geely Holding, said that it was important for automakers and governments to look at regulations and what sort of standards were needed to keep people safe.
"One accident can kill the whole industry ... So we must move with caution," Li, who took a $9 billion stake in Daimler last month, said at a Volvo-sponsored event on connected and automated cars here on Wednesday.
He said excessive haste would backfire, and that a single accident could delay progress by as much as a year.
"The accident reminds us that no matter how fast we develop, safety is the No. 1 priority," he said. "If safety cannot be guaranteed, no automated cars [should be allowed]."
The comments come as the global industry reels from a fatal accident in the Tempe, Arizona, involving one of Uber's self-driving Volvo XC90 SUVs. It is the first death attributed to a self-driving car operating in autonomous mode.
Uber has suspended North American tests of its autonomous vehicles after the fatal collision on March 18. Its partner, chipmaker Nvidia, said this week it has also suspended self-driving tests across the globe.
The accident has ramped up pressure on the industry to prove its software and sensors are safe.
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