Skip to main content

Uber tests self-driving cars on Pittsburgh streets

Uber is deploying fourteen self-driving cars on the streets of Pittsburgh in a real-world test of the technology. The cars are Ford Fusions, equipped with lasers and cameras which collect 1.4 million distance measurements per second, and a human driver to make sure the drive goes smoothly. Uber says real-world testing is critical to the success of this technology. And creating a viable alternative to individual car ownership is important to the future of cities. Uber founder Anthony Levandowski says t
September 15, 2016 Read time: 1 min
8336 Uber is deploying fourteen self-driving cars on the streets of Pittsburgh in a real-world test of the technology. The cars are Ford Fusions, equipped with lasers and cameras which collect 1.4 million distance measurements per second, and a human driver to make sure the drive goes smoothly.

Uber says real-world testing is critical to the success of this technology. And creating a viable alternative to individual car ownership is important to the future of cities.

Uber founder Anthony Levandowski says the company’s self-driving technology has the potential to reduce accidents, free up parking space in cities and cut congestion.

Related Content

  • September 26, 2014
    Ford Mondeo – the car that brakes for pedestrians
    The all-new Ford Mondeo will be equipped with a raft of safety features, including technology that is able to detect people in the road ahead and – if the driver does not respond to warning sounds and displays – automatically applies the brakes. Pedestrian Detection is among a raft of new features and improvements detailed by Ford which enhance the Mondeo. The system is part of the Pre-Collision Assist package that also introduces Active Braking, which can autonomously apply braking to help mitigate rear
  • February 28, 2013
    Driverless vehicles just around the corner?
    umors that self-driving taxis are about to hit the streets of Las Vegas have turned out to be untrue… but the age of the driverless vehicle is only just around the corner, as Pete Goldin finds out. From Herbie the Love Bug to Knight Rider to the cast of the Pixar film Cars, the autono­mous auto has long been a beloved icon in the entertainment industry. But how close is the fiction to fact? The general public might be surprised to find out just how soon autonomous vehicles could be driving on our roadways.
  • November 17, 2014
    Air quality tops transportation agendas
    Colin Sowman catches up on some of the latest research around outdoor pollution and looks at options available to authorities in areas of poor air quality. Iair quality hasn’t already reached the top of the agenda in transportation department meetings in your area, it probably soon will with national, trans-national and even global bodies calling for authorities to reduce pollution levels.
  • June 18, 2014
    Finland to become a model country for sustainable transport by 2020
    Finland’s technical research centre’s (VTT) TransSmart vision of a model country for sustainable transport throws the spotlight on efficiency – in vehicles, systems, and services. It says transport will be a fusion of sustainable energy sources, advanced technology, safety, high service levels, mobility alternatives and new ways of operating. According to VTT, Finland in 2020 will use low-emission vehicles running on renewable energy, electricity, hydrogen and sustainable bio-fuels. The share of public t