USB 3.1 provides faster data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, which is twice as fast as USB 3.0. It was created to meet the increasing needs for transferring large files like HD videos. USB 3.1 has two main goals - improved performance and backward compatibility with older USB standards. It uses a new reversible Type-C connector that allows for easier plugging and faster charging compared to previous connectors. Compliance testing also focuses on meeting the new electrical and transfer speed requirements for USB 3.1.