Uber Introduces Self-Driving Cars

The ride-hailing company said Thursday that customers will be able to opt into the test program, which will use autonomous Ford Fusions summoned by the touch of a smartphone. Although other companies are testing self-driving cars on public roads, this is the first time the public will get access to them.

The rides, which come with a human backup driver to handle situations that the autonomous cars haven't seen, will be free to those willing to take part, the company said.

Uber, which has a self-driving research lab in Pittsburgh, has no immediate plans to deploy autonomous cars beyond the Pittsburgh experiment. But its CEO, Travis Kalanick, has said that without drivers, the cost of hailing a ride will be cheaper than owning a car.

Kalanik, in a Thursday interview with The Associated Press, said development of autonomous cars is paramount for the 7-year-old San Francisco-based company. "We're catching up fast, but we need to get to No. 1 quick," he said. "We've got to be laser-focused on getting this to market, because it's not a side project for us. This is everything. This is all the marbles for Uber."

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