Uber Introduces Self-Driving Car

This fall, car-hire service Uber will roll out its first line of self-driving cars, meaning passengers who request the luxurious yet affordable car service may be hitching a ride in a driverless car.

After a partnership deal was struck with Carnegie Mellon University, work began on the technology thanks to assistance from the college’s robotics division. As a result, the first driver-less vehicle will hit the local streets in Pittsburgh, Pa. Uber unveiled a Ford Fusion model earlier this year and will prepare to launch a Volvo version before the end of year.

Although the vehicle will have self-driving capabilities, for the time being there will still be a human sitting behind the wheel in the front seat to correct any errors that occur with the computerized system. This is welcome news for Uber’s employees who have reaped the benefits of leasing their vehicles part-time to make a bit of extra income.

Following in Uber’s footsteps are other ride-sharing companies like Lyft. who also plans to unveil a version of the self-driving car. Although a completely autonomous vehicle may not be readily available for years to come, Uber is using current available technology to bring ride sharing into the future.