Rock Hill Herald Logo

Uber’s driverless cars | Rock Hill Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
  • Customer Service
  • Mobile & Apps
  • Newsletters
  • Archives

    • All News
    • Local News
    • Local Traffic Cam
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Business
    • Education
    • NIE
    • Crime
    • More News
    • Andrew Dys
    • Nation/World
    • Politics/Government
    • Weird News
    • Databases
    • Down Home Magazine
    • Physicians Directory
    • Fort Mill Times
    • Fort Mill Times Sports
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Submit a Letter to the Editor
    • All Sports
    • Panthers
    • College
    • Winthrop
    • High School
    • High School Football
    • Auto Racing
    • Politics
    • Elections
  • Obituaries
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • To the Contrary
    • James Werrell
    • Palmetto Opinion
    • All Living
    • Community
    • Weddings
    • Engagements
    • Anniversaries
    • Births
    • Religion
    • Family
    • Home & Garden
    • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Books
    • Calendar
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Horoscopes

  • Legals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds

Opinion

Uber’s driverless cars

By Lewis Diuguid

The Kansas City Star

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 24, 2016 05:31 PM

Tack “free” onto just about anything, and people will go for it.

That has to be the logic behind Uber starting to test its self-driving cars this month in Pittsburgh using real passengers. Think of it as being like an amusement park ride.

There’s got to be some sort of thrill in being in one of the first self-driving vehicles on the road to accept passengers. Think of the bragging rights people would be able to claim.

The ride-hailing company will use autonomous Volvo SUVs and Ford Focuses. People in Pittsburgh soon will be able to call one using an Uber app on a smartphone.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Some may forgo getting into an Uber with an actual driver just so they can take the free ride with the self-driving vehicle, even though the test-drives on public roads will include a human backup driver in case the machine messes up.

The only drawback is why Pittsburgh?

Perhaps it is because Pennsylvania has no laws governing autonomous cars and how they relate to ride hailing, an official of the 7-year-old San Francisco-based company said.

Uber isn’t the only company in the race to develop self-driving cars. There is a lot of competition from other tech and auto companies.

Google, whose parent company is Alphabet Inc., has been testing autonomous cars on public roads since 2009.

But by taking on actual passengers and inking a $300 million alliance with Volvo to supply vehicles and technology, Uber zooms ahead of the competition in the race for self-driving cars.

Driver-free vehicles are expected to be the new day-to-day way that people get around, providing consumers with cheaper transportation than actually owning a vehicle. Imagine texting in a car without worrying about causing an accident or being able to discipline an unruly kid without having to pull over.

The company that roiled the taxicab industry worldwide with its inexpensive, ride-hailing service is pushing to upset the auto industry overall if its driver-less vehicle model is successful.

But it also will likely upset a lot of its own Uber drivers, who have devoted their personal vehicles to try to make some extra money, hauling people around in major cities in the United States and abroad.

If the self-driving cars prove to be successful, Uber will be leaving its drivers at the curb as it keeps on trucking in the world of big business without them.

  Comments  

Videos

Clemson women’s basketball coach Amanda Butler on Tigers having success in her first year

A young team with 21 turnovers leads to loss against Kentucky

View More Video

Trending Stories

Fort Mill hospital decision has been made. Here’s who gets to build it now

February 21, 2019 01:32 PM

York County suspect rams cop car, flushes ‘dangerous’ drugs next to kids, police say

February 21, 2019 09:28 AM

A sinkhole has a main road near downtown Rock Hill closed. Here’s where.

February 21, 2019 12:09 PM

‘Fallen and can’t get up’ in real life: Rock Hill cops break down door to save woman

February 20, 2019 11:58 AM

‘Widespread activity’: Confirmed flu cases in hundreds in York County region

February 20, 2019 12:32 PM

Read Next

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor

By Barbara Barkley

bbarkley@heraldonline.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 29, 2019 08:27 AM

Letters to the editor, Jan. 27, 2019

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE OPINION

Opinion

Letters to the editor

December 31, 2018 09:36 AM

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the editor

December 31, 2018 09:25 AM

Opinion

Letters to the editor

December 24, 2018 07:50 AM

Opinion

Letters to the editor

October 29, 2018 08:33 AM

Opinion

Letters to the editor

October 01, 2018 08:41 AM

Opinion

Good options to help Hurricane Florence victims

September 21, 2018 11:40 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Rock Hill Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Advertising Information
  • Place Obituary, Celebration
  • Place Classified, Legal
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story