Uber is testing its first prototype of a self-driving car on the streets of Pittsburgh, the ride-hailing company said Thursday. 1.3 million people die every year in car accidents — 94 per cent of those accidents involve human error," Uber said. "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 picked Pittsburgh because of its "wide variety of road types, traffic patterns and weather conditions." Although it calls itself a technology company, Uber's core business turns ordinary drivers into de facto taxi drivers who can give people rides in 450 cities worldwide.

Source: CBC News May 19, 2016 11:56 UTC