Uber to trial self-driving cars in US

In its blog, Otto commented, “Together with Uber, we will create the future of commercial transportation: first, self-driving trucks that provide drivers unprecedented levels of safety; and second, a platform that matches truck drivers with the right load wherever they are”. Lyft, an Uber competitor, has partnered with General Motors, announcing that its own self-driving cars will roll out within the next year. Riders will be able to opt in if they want a self-driving auto, and rides will be free to those willing to do it, spokesman Matt Kallman said.

Uber will soon make self-driving cars available to riders in Pittsburgh, in the first time such technology is being offered to the public.

All vehicles involved will be supervised by a human driver until further notice, but this still represents a huge step towards deploying autonomous cars on public streets.

According to Uber chief executive officer and co-founder Travis Kalanick, Otto was co-founded earlier this year by Anthony Levandowski, an engineer who once worked at Google on self-driving technology and two other former colleagues to equip trucks with software, sensors, lasers and cameras so they will be able to navigate the highway on their own, EFE news reported.

As part of the $300 million Uber/Volvo deal, Uber would purchase the XC90 sports utility vehicles, considered some of the safest on the road, and then develop and install the autonomous driving technology on each auto. “This is everything. This is all the marbles for Uber”, he told AP.

CEO Travis Kalanick says cutting the driver out of the equation could potentially make the service much cheaper for riders – possibly even cheaper than a private auto.

Uber’s push to carry people with autonomous vehicles is not surprising, given the company’s history of gravitating toward gray areas where there is little or no regulation, said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of SC professor who studies self-driving technology.

“Part of this is marketing in the sense that they’re going to be doing continued research and development of these systems”, he said. “By combining the capabilities of Uber and Volvo we will get to the future faster, together”.

In another deal, the company announced a $300 million alliance with Volvo to supply vehicles and technology.

The company’s primary USA competitor, Lyft, received a $500 million investment from GM earlier this year.

Those arrangements are part of a flurry of deals between Silicon Valley tech companies, traditional automakers and ride-hailing companies as they vie for autonomous vehicle leadership. There will be an unspecified number of Ford Fusion vehicles with human back up drivers taking part in Uber’s network in the city, operating like any other Uber ride. The vehicle will have neither a steering wheel nor pedals and will be rolled out for commercial ride-hailing services, not directly to consumers. The city also gets a fair amount of snow, which can cover lane lines and trick autonomous vehicle sensors.

Uber also announced that it is acquiring a self-driving startup called Otto that has developed technology allowing big rigs to drive themselves.

“This is a way to get autonomous cars out there and accepted and increase the adoption rate”, Carone said. “It will take a decade of testing before an 18-year-old can get in the vehicle and tell it where to go”.