Volvo's self-drive 'convoy' hits the Spanish motorway

A convoy of self-driven cars has completed a 200km (125-mile) journey on a Spanish motorway, in the first public test of such vehicles.

The cars were wirelessly linked to each other and "mimicked" a lead vehicle, driven by a professional driver.

The so-called road train has been developed by Volvo. The firm is confident that they will be widely available in future.

The project aims to herald a new age of relaxed driving.

According to Volvo, drivers "can now work on their laptops, read a book or sit back and enjoy a relaxed lunch" while driving.

The road train test was carried out as part of a European Commission research project known as Sartre - Safe Road Trains for the Environment.

The convoy comprised three cars and one lorry.