There’s a new self-driving car on the block, and it’s currently roaming the streets of Pittsburgh. Uber’s first autonomous vehicle, a hybrid Ford Fusion outfitted with sensors, radars, laser scanners, and high-resolution cameras, is on the road.
With a human in the driver’s seat to make sure everything is going according to plan, the car will be pulling double duty on its rounds: while it’s testing self-driving mode, it’ll also be collecting mapping data, Uber says in a blog post.
Uber says the self-driving future is a safer one, noting that 1.3 million people die every year in car collisions, 94% of which involve human error.
“In the future we believe this technology will mean less congestion, more affordable and accessible transportation, and far fewer lives lost in car accidents,” Uber says. “These goals are at the heart of Uber’s mission to make transportation as reliable as running water — everywhere and for everyone.”
The company, which has been working with autonomous vehicle experts at its Advanced Technologies Center, chose to establish its base in Pittsburgh “because of its world-class engineering talent and research facilities.”
“Pittsburgh is an ideal environment to develop and test our technology across a wide variety of road types, traffic patterns and weather conditions,” Uber explains. “The city’s long history of innovation continues today as it helps us shape the future of transportation.”
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on Consumerist.