Volkswagen has commenced testing self-driving cars in Hamburg, Germany. The tests, being carried out by Volkswagen Group Research, will see five e-Golfs take to a three kilometer section of road in the major port city.

The vehicles have laser scanners, radars, ultrasonic sensors and cameras. Test drivers will be behind the car's steering wheel at all times to monitor performance and take control of the vehicle in case of an emergency.

Volkswagen said that computing power "equivalent to some 15 laptops" has been installed in the e-Golf's trunk.

This, in combination with sensor technology, will enable the vehicle to collate data on everything from cyclists and pedestrians to other cars, rights of way and intersections. A range of artificial intelligence techniques, including deep learning and pattern recognition, will be used.

"The tests center on technical possibilities as well as urban infrastructure requirements," Axel Heinrich, who is head of Volkswagen Group Research, said in a statement Wednesday.