Uber to introduce first self-driving cars in Pittsburgh this month

Ride-sharing firm Uber is set to introduce its first self-driving cars in Pittsburgh this month, as part of a partnership signed with Volvo Cars earlier this year.

As reported by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Uber Pittsburgh fleet will consist of specially modified Volvo XC90 SUVs, outfitted with dozens of sensors that use cameras, lasers, radar, and GPS receivers, and will be supervised by humans in the driver's seat as part of the trial.

The trips themselves will be free, with a tablet in the backseat informing the passenger about the car's capabilities. This deployment of semi-autonomous vehicles to actual (non-paying) customers marks a significant step in the ultimate objective -- develop a fully autonomous car that will be road-ready by 2021.

Holding up its end of the pact, Volvo Cars has reportedly so far delivered a handful of vehicles out of a total of 100 due by the end of the year, with the project allocated an estimated $300 million.