UBER LAUNCH A SELF DRIVING CAR
Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center is currently testing a self-driving car in Pittsburgh, USA. Its purpose is to primarily test the automatic driving capabilities, as well as collecting valuable data using: lasers, camera and radars.
The reason Uber are backing this new technology and why they have started real-world testing already is to solve the many issues our society faces today:
- 3 million people die every year in car accidents
- 94% of car accidents involve human error
- On average, 3,287 people die in a car accident every day
- 20-50 million people are left injured or disabled from car accidents
Uber want to decrease the number of lives lost in car accidents, but also create a more affordable way of travelling; an eco-friendly option and increase the access of all transportation. Molly, a spokesperson for Uber quoted “These goals are at the heart of Uber’s mission to make transportation as reliable as running water — everywhere and for everyone.”
Uber are currently focusing on getting the technology right and making sure it is safe for everyone on the road, this includes: pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers. They’ve also informed the local law enforcement and the government to which the support has enabled their vision to go ahead. William Peduto, the Mayor of Pittsburgh quoted:
“From the first steel mills to the laboratories at Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh has a long history of innovation. Now we’re taking another step forward, this time as home to Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center, where some of the world’s leading innovators are helping to shape the future of transportation. We’re excited that Uber has chosen the Steel City as they explore new technologies that can improve people’s lives — through increased road safety, less congestion, and more efficient and smarter cities.”
Pittsburgh is an ideal environment for Uber to develop and test the new technology across a wide variety of road types, traffic patterns and weather conditions. The city’s reputation and passion for innovation helps Uber shape the future of transportation.
