Leading global technology firm, Uber, has announced that starting from today, its loyal Pittsburgh customers might receive their ride in a self-driving Ford Fusion when they request for an Uber X.
The announcement was made by Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, a location founded about 18 months ago specifically to focus on autonomous vehicles.
The project is made feasible by a combination of two factors: the support of the local government coupled with the provision of engineering students by the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
“We know that many drivers will have questions about this technology. It’s still very early: Self-Driving Ubers have a safety driver in the front seat because they require human intervention in many conditions, including bad weather.
Even when these technology issues get fixed, we believe ridesharing will be a mix—with services provided by both drivers and Self-Driving Ubers.
This is because of the limits of self-driving software and the skyrocketing demand for better transportation which people-powered transport is uniquely able to solve” according to Uber Newsroom.