Autonomous vehicles take the road for Uber

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IMAGE / Wikipedia Commons

Once they are specially modifed as driverless vehicles, the Volvo XC90 sport utility is being used in Pittsburgh by Uber.

Uber’s first autonomous car set off in Pittsburgh last August.

An autonomous car is a vehicle that drives without a human driver by using sensors and cameras on the car to know where to go.

Now, people in downtown Pittsburgh can use their cellphones to schedule a self-driving Uber to take them to their destination.

Freshman Prentice Duncan said that he just wouldn’t feel safe riding in a car where a human was not controlling it the whole time.

“I mean, no, I would not ride in a driverless car. What if it crashes?” Duncan said.

But autonomous vehicles are not completely driverless because a human could take the wheel at all times in case someone needs to take control in a dangerous situation.

Uber is not the first company to make an attempt at the autonomous car.

Google has been making and testing driverless cars for many years now.  Also, Tesla Motors has made a feature called Autopilot that is extremely heightened cruise control for the highway.

I think the idea of a driverless car is a pretty cool idea.

— Brieanna Boven, senior

Cars without drivers can be controversial because some people don’t trust robots compared to people. If these new types of vehicles become the new norm, then many people are going to have to adapt.

Senior Brieanna Boven is interested in the idea of driverless cars.

“I think the idea of a driverless car is a pretty cool idea,” Boven said. “Maybe 15 to 20 years from now they might become more commonly used, and if I could afford it I would buy one for myself.”