Online cab aggregator Uber will launch its self-driving cars as soon as this month in Pittsburgh, US, reports TechCrunch. The company said it would deploy around 100 modified Volvo XC90s outfitted with self-driving equipment to kick off the project. To help its autonomous plans, Uber has acquired the self-driving driving truck technology company Otto. The startup was founded by former Googlers Anthony Levandowski, Lior Ron, Don Burnette, and Claire Delaunay, of which Levandowski had led Google’s self-driving car efforts. Note that Uber’s self-driving cars will be occupied at all times by 2 engineers - one for steering and taking control of the car if needed and the other to observe and take notes. A ‘liquid-cooled’ computer in the trunk will also record trip and map data. Self-driving cars will be bookable to usual way, and consumers lucky enough to get one, will get the ride for free. The cab aggregator had first released a picture of it’s self driving car, a hybrid Ford Fusion, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the US, in May this year. The company had said then that the car had a host of sensors including radars, laser scanners and high res cameras to map its environment. Uber & self-driving tech: Uber also tied up with Toyota in May this year, agreeing to collaborate on autonomous technology for cars. The company had initially opened a robotics research lab in Pittsburgh in 2015 to “kickstart autonomous taxi fleet development.” Around the same time Uber hired as many as 40…
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