Soon, the Uber car that comes to pick you up may not have anyone in the driver’s seat. On May 19, 2016, the company announced that it will begin testing a self-driving Ford Fusion hybrid in Pittsburgh, the home to Uber’s Advanced Technology Center.
For those driving in Pittsburgh, there should be no issue spotting the research vehicles as they’ll be carrying various sensors on their roofs including radars, lidars, and cameras. The test car will map its surroundings while also experimenting with autonomous driving, although there will be a human operator in the driver’s seat at all times to take over at any given moment.
Uber’s self-driving vehicles are powered by artificial intelligence, but are still in the early stages. The company said its focus is to develop the technology to ensure safety for people on the road, such as pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists.
The move is somewhat conflicting with Uber’s current business model. Currently, the company doesn’t have to worry about a vehicle’s maintenance, depreciation, insurance, or fuel – all of that is outsourced to its drivers. Switching to a fleet operation changes its model completely, requiring plenty of capital expenditure not for the cars themselves but also for the infrastructure to maintain and park them while they’re not in use.
Uber is not the only ride-sharing service looking to ditch the human element. In January 2016, General Motors invested $500 million in Lyft, with a goal of developing a network of self-driving taxis by 2017.
Via Ars Technica
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