Uber Self-Driving Car (Photo : Twitter)
Uber has unveiled its first self-driving car on the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The ride-sharing company's autonomous vehicle (AV) is a Ford Fusion hybrid that is equipped with high-resolution cameras, sensors, laser scanners, and radars. Uber shared that the taxi service company is collecting mapping data and testing the car's self-driving technology on the Steel City's roads.
Uber reported news about the self-driving Ford car in a blog post. The company explained that a driver will sit behind the wheel when the AV is in self-driving mode. It also noted that real-world testing is important to develop robot cars.
The company stated that self-driving tech can provide many benefits. They include fewer traffic jams, cheaper and better transportation, and fewer fatal car accidents that result from human error.
Uber is in the early stages of testing driverless cars but it can now claim to be the first ride-sharing company to test AVs, according to CNET.
Other ride-sharing companies also have plans to develop autonomous cars. Lyft has teamed up with General Motors to test self-driving all-electric Chevrolet Bolts.
In fact, the field could get more crowded due to Apple's recent move. The tech giant invested $1 billion in the Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing.
It is possible Apple does not want to go head-to-head with traditional automakers. The iPhone and iPad maker could instead be planning to launch a ride/car-sharing service to challenge Uber and Lyft.
Uber's Advanced Technologies Center noted that Pittsburg has a long history of creating innovation. It includes the first steel mills and labs at Carnegie Mellon and Pitt universities.
Uber noted that Pittsburgh was also chosen for road tests because it is a center of transportation. It is also a hub for top-notch engineering and research.
In related news, Google has denied it has plans to team up with Fiat Chrysler to build self-driving cars, according to Fortune. The tech and auto companies had agreed earlier this month to equip 100 self-driving Pacifica minivans with Google's autonomous tech.
However, Google's self-driving car chief executive John Krafcik stated that the company is in talks with many automakers. He added that solving problems will require many partnerships.
Here's a ride in Google's self-driving car:
