Uber Tests Self-Driving Technology on Pittsburgh Streets

Add Uber to the list of companies now testing self-driving technology on public roads. The ride-sharing company announced today that its Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. has equipped a Ford Fusion Hybrid with autonomous driving capability, and the car is now ready forreal-world testing.

The car is far from incognito thanks to the heap of cameras and sensors mounted on the Fusion's roof, as well as the "Uber" and "Advanced Technologies Center" decals emblazoned throughout the car. Uber isn't ready to dish out too many details about the test car but says one of its main tasks is collecting data and mapping out the streets. A driver will always be behind the wheel, even when the vehicle is in self-driving mode.

It's been a little over a year since Uber established the ATC. The company has been working closely with researchers at nearby Carnegie Mellon University, and a number of its graduates have moved on to jobs at the Uber ATC.

The ATC has been rapidly growing, with the center expanding to other parts of Pittsburgh. City officials welcome the added jobs, butNew Pittsburgh Courierreports the company has faced criticism for poaching staffers from CMU, while local Uber drivers worry their jobs will eventually be replaced by autonomous vehicles.

Source: Uber, New Pittsburgh Courier

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