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Uber's First Self-Driving Fleet Arrives in Pittsburgh This Month (bloomberg.com)

Posted by msmash on from the future-is-here dept.

Ride-hailing app Uber will introduce self-driving cars in Pittsburgh as soon as this month, Bloomberg reports citing many officials and engineers at the company. The move is the first part of a pilot program to explore the future of the technology, the report added. The company plans to test 100 Volvo XC90s outfitted to drive themselves. Still, the cars will be accompanied by two humans: an engineer who can take control of the vehicle when needed and a co-pilot who takes note. Bloomberg reports: The Volvo deal isn't exclusive; Uber plans to partner with other automakers as it races to recruit more engineers. In July the company reached an agreement to buy Otto, a 91-employee driverless truck startup that was founded earlier this year and includes engineers from a number of high-profile tech companies attempting to bring driverless cars to market, including Google, Apple, and Tesla. Uber declined to disclose the terms of the arrangement, but a person familiar with the deal says that if targets are met, it would be worth 1percent of Uber's most recent valuation.

4 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. "Sharing" by Calydor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, they are totally not a taxi company but just two people sharing a ride because they're going the same way.

    Even when the cars have no drivers.

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    -=This sig has nothing to do with my comment. Move along now=-
    1. Re:"Sharing" by Mashiki · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yeah they can try that bullshit all they want, but governments seem to finally be stopping it which is good. They're a taxi company, and that means they can pay on the same qualification that a regular taxi driver/company does. Mandatory CPR, mandatory inspections, mandatory safeties, and mandatory insurance.

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      Om, nomnomnom...
    2. Re:"Sharing" by fluffernutter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You start going down that road, and quickly you can point out that most laws are interference to the free market. Does this mean there should be no laws against any corporation ever? Just because you don't see the particular point of a given law, it doesn't make them less important to enforce.

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      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  2. Re:Free rides in Pittsburgh by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, but you are already driving to someplace in Pittsburgh, so how much worse can your day really get?