Ride-hailing service Uber will team up with Swedish automaker Volvo to develop a self-driving vehicle, the companies announced Thursday. Meanwhile, driverless rides will be free for now and although that will likely change as soon as the experiment proves successful, Uber says that removing human drivers from the equation will drastically drive down the cost of booking a auto.
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It’s been a while since news broke in early 2015 that Uber was working on self-driving cars. In the long-term, both companies will work together on new base vehicles that will incorporate autonomous driving technologies. And indeed, a significant portion of the talent pool may well have made its way to Uber’s R&D centers, propelling the company’s drive to replace its 1 million+ human drivers with artificial intelligences. Google parent company Alphabet Inc., which has been testing autonomous cars on public roads since 2009, is among the leaders, but has not carried passengers.
If you live in Pittsburgh and use Uber, get ready to meet some robotic drivers later this month.
Two employees with Uber will be in the front seats of the vehicle when picking up customers, one will be behind the wheel as an emergency backup driver and another person will be monitoring from the passenger seat, according to The Wall Street Journal. Large tech and auto companies suggest they could start selling self-driving cars within three to five years. The company’s self-driving kit is created to help truck drivers to drive more safely and efficiently. And Uber also announced a different strategic partnership with Toyota in May to advance autonomous auto research.
Smith said Uber’s decision is an opportunity for both the public and creators to discuss the pros and cons of autonomous driving.
In detailed Bloomberg Businessweek report, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick revealed the company’s plan to introduce driverless cars, complete with “dozens of sensors that user cameras, lasers, radar, and Global Positioning System receivers” to it’s existing Pittsburg fleet.
The Uber customers will get the facility of these autonomous cars in the downtown area of Pittsburgh, according to Bloomberg. But unlike Tesla Motors, which put semi-autonomous technology in the hands of individual customers, Uber is mitigating the risk by putting its own drivers in the front seat.
Uber and Volvo announced, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2016, a $300 million deal for Volvo to provide SUVs to Uber for autonomous vehicle research.
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Levandowski has always been a key figure in autonomous-vehicle research.
