A journey, not a race: India’s prospects for autonomous drive

Think autonomous vehicles, think India? Not usually. The country's high road fatality statistics - 175,000 deaths per year - make it an ideal candidate for the potentially game-changing technology, but the challenges are daunting. Infamous congestion, poorly maintained road networks and infrastructure and lack of traffic regulation make for a serious challenge. So too does the hefty investment required by government and vehicle manufacturers. "There are a lot of question marks around autonomous vehicles in India," admitted Kaushik Mukherjee, Senior Director, Engineering, Ola Play, at Indian ride-hailing company Ola.