German car producer BMW plans to test driverless cars in the German city of Munich next year, a company manager announced on Monday.

According to the BMW vice president in charge of autonomous driving Klaus Buettner, some 40 computer-controlled vehicles are to be launched in the downtown area of Munich in 2017.

"Behind every steering wheel is a trained test driver, who can intervene if necessary and steer the car by hand," Buettner reiterated, adding that a follow-up vehicle was also included for safety.

Such test fleets are to be put into operation in other German cities and abroad, Buettner said, without giving further details.

Autonomous driving is one of the key technologies for the mobility of the future. Automakers like BMW or its competitors Daimler and Audi are spending billions of dollars on research and testing the new technology, in the hopes of taking a leadership role. Endit

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