If you’ve spent time in the Stip District lately, you’ve probably seen one of self-driving test cars cruise by. They’re the ones with the crazy-looking sensors on the roof. Yeah, you know the ones.
Ever since Uber announced the creation of the Advanced Technologies Center (ATC) in Pittsburgh, they’ve turned the Steel City into the epicenter of their autonomous vehicle research operations. And judging by the announcement they just made, things are going pretty well.
Self-driving cars will launch this month in PGH
In an interview with Bloomberg, CEO Travis Kalanick said Uber is ready to add self-driving cars to its fleet of active drivers in Pittsburgh this month. Riders will be able to request a self-driving Volvo XC90 (with a human in the driver’s seat to supervise). These test rides will be free for the time being. Here’s how Kalanick described the roll out to Bloomberg:
In Pittsburgh, customers will request cars the normal way, via Uber’s app, and will be paired with a driverless car at random. Trips will be free for the time being, rather than the standard local rate of $1.30 per mile.
Uber’s Pittsburgh fleet, which will be supervised by humans in the driver’s seat for the time being, consists of specially modified Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicles outfitted with dozens of sensors that use cameras, lasers, radar, and GPS receivers.
Check out the entire article on Bloomberg for more about driverless cars and Uber in Pittsburgh.
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This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.