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Self-Driving Ubers on the Road Within 18 Months Says CEO

Jan. 24, 2018
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3 min read
Uber Experiments With Driverless Cars
Self-Driving Ubers on the Road Within 18 Months Says CEO
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Uber had a tough 2017 with a rash of negative press that hung over the company like a dark cloud. But 2018 is shaping up to be a better year, and at Bloomberg's #TheYearAhead event, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi shared some exciting news about the company's self-driving cars.

Khosrowshahi said that he believes Uber will have autonomous cars "within the next 18 months." And these aren't just test vehicles, these are on the road.

“And not as a test case, as a real [use] case out there,” Khosrowshahi told Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait.

Uber's tested it's self-driving cars in a few cities around the country but the most prominent use is in Arizona, where the state government has fully embraced the program. Khosrowshahi used the state as an example, where he said Uber would start "feathering in" autonomous cars with its regular fleet of vehicles that are manned by a human driver. Currently, test cars have a human in the driver's seat in case anything goes wrong, but the next phase of the program would be to remove humans completely.

95% of the time you'll get a human driver, especially if there's something that the autonomous car can't handle, like bad weather or an accident. But in those 5% of cases where everything lines up, Uber will send a self-driving car to pick up and transport you to your destination.

Fortunately for those weary about the technology, Uber will give you the option to say yes or no to an autonomous car.

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"That 5% is going to go to 10%, 15% and 20% as our computers and algorithms learn more and more about what it takes to drive in a city in a real life situation," said Khosrowshahi. "In five years, we will have the perfect driver in Phoenix.”

Uber will have to retrain that "driver" (a computer) in every single city, and it'll take 10 to 15 years before we see mass use of self-driving Ubers.

The ride-sharing company has also been working on flying taxis — with Khosrowshahi remarking that the economics will make sense within five to seven years, when people will "think" about taking flying cars, and when the price will be brought down even more. Khosrowshahi also believes that children born today won't need to learn how to drive cars, as autonomous technology will be prevalent by the time they reach legal driving age.

H/T: TechCrunch

Featured image by Getty Images

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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