Yesterday marked the pilot test of self-driving Ubers along the roads of Pittsburgh where Advanced Technologies Center (ATC) sprouted. Roof-top sensor, 3D cameras, lidar which is basically "light radar" that uses laser light to determine the position and speed of an object, Global Positioning System (GPS),a tablet together with the assisting driver and engineer in front seats are the workforce of this Ford Fusion driveless car.
To Reality: Mission
From automated aircrafts to automated cars, accidents and space congestion could be lesser now because of these technologies. It has been 30 years since the first self-drive car was introduced to the world by Carnegie Mellon University under the Department of Engineering. Terregator in 1984 gave birth to autonomous vehicle (AV) technology as the first automated vehicle.
Experts in world-class safe automated technology, Uber partnered with Volvo Car Group for the AV evolution to take place. SUVs are next in line for release to maximize the number of passengers aloud that couldn't be more than one for now.
Who Doesn't Want A Free Ride, Right?
Via Uber App, passengers with most rides are given the chance to ride for free as part of the program. Upon notification, passengers must state their destination before starting the trip. They won't be able to change routes anymore once entered. In front facing riders, a tablet is attached where you can see an HDR-like footage of the car location and the objects that surround it. This provides users an extra layer of protection, safety, and comfort on being able to see exactly what's happening in real-time.
Are They Bound To Replace Human Drivers?
According to Uber, the car stills needs humans in the front seat to facilitate safe driving. Unexpected things like bad weather or technical issues would be easily fixed if technology and human beings collaborate. Also, Uber self-driving vehicles will be in the road 24 hours a day. With that, it'll definitely require human shifting for that round-the-clock ride. Ironically, the project has an ultimate target of replacing 1.5 million drivers to ensure safety standards are met.
