Uber’s Robo-Ride Is Here—and Set to Sway Opinion

Uber is about to offer customers rides in robotic taxis—an experiment which may prove pivotal for future self-driving cars. The company has been developing autonomous vehicles for at least a year, but in the coming days its Pittsburgh test fleet will be opened to the public. There will be a dozen vehicles at first, with the number rising towards 100 by the end of the year. While each car must still have a driver in case of emergency, their presence demonstrates the pace at which automakers are rushing to get robotic cars on the road—and Uber’s tests will have a major impact on public perception and government regulation of such vehicles. In the meantime, it will also provide many first experiences of autonomous cars. “Most people … will be thrilled to be part of the process,” says Rajunathan Rajkumar, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University working on self-driving vehicles. But “this is an early testing version,” he adds. “People should temper their expectations.”