# Uber’s self-driving cars are now picking up passengers in Arizona



## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/21/14687346/uber-self-driving-car-arizona-pilot-ducey-california








Almost two months to the day after Uber loaded its fleet of self-driving SUVs into the trailer of a self-driving truck and stormed off to Arizona in a self-driving huff, the company is preparing to launch its second experiment (if you don't count the aborted San Francisco pilot) in autonomous ride-hailing.

What's different is that this time, Uber has the blessing from Arizona's top politician, Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, who is expected to be "Rider Zero" on an autonomous trip along with Anthony Levandowski, VP of Uber's Advanced Technologies Group. The Arizona pilot comes after California's Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the registration of Uber's 16 self-driving cars because the company refused to apply for the appropriate permits for testing autonomous cars.

AZ Gov @dougducey taking a ride in @Uber_AZ's new self driving car. Pretty slick looking machine! pic.twitter.com/1zFoDNYUKV

- Ty Brennan (@TyFox10) February 21, 2017
Starting today, residents of Tempe, Arizona, can hail a self-driving Volvo XC90 SUV on Uber's ride-sharing platform. All trips will include two Uber engineers in the front seats as safety drivers, in the event a human needs to take over control from the vehicle's software. Uber says it hopes to expand the coverage area to other cities in Arizona in the coming weeks. The company first started allowing riders to take trips in its self-driving cars in Pittsburgh last September.

The drama between Uber and California lasted just over a week, with the ride-sharing company launching its autonomous pilot program in San Francisco in mid-December. Uber felt that California's self-driving regulations (and, crucially, a requirement that it get a $150 permit and submit detailed accident disclosures) didn't to apply to its cars because there was always a driver present and ready to take over. The California DMV said Uber needed to get the permit, Uber refused, and California called the company's bluff and revoked the registration of the 16 cars. Notwithstanding the controversy, hours after Uber's fleet of self-driving cars began to pick up passengers in San Francisco for the first time, one of the vehicles was caught running a red light.

California requires companies that want to test autonomous vehicles on the roads to register for an autonomous driving permit. As part of this program, companies are also required to publicize the number of times the car's software forces the human driver to take control. An unwillingness to have its disengagement rate publicized likely factored into Uber's refusal to play by the rules, although the company's executives denied this.

Arizona, on the other hand, has taken a "do what you want" attitude to tech companies and self-driving cars. Ducey signed an executive order in late August 2015 directing various agencies to "undertake any necessary steps to support the testing and operation of self-driving vehicles on public roads within Arizona." He also empowered Arizona's universities to launch pilot programs for self-driving cars, one of which involved Uber.

This is a big step forward for Uber's futuristic plans to conduct the majority of its trips in self-driving cars, but it still has real-world hurdles in its path. Uber's has had a spate of bad press lately, from #DeleteUber to allegations of rampant sexism, so it's not a sure thing that the rollout of a new self-driving pilot will do much to repair the company's reputation.









Arizona Governor Doug Ducey after riding in a self-driving Uber.

Uber vehemently denies they provide transportation. 
"DO NOT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION" So what do you call this then?


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

Hey, 2/21/17. This story was published just in time to change the narrative.


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

Self driving cars with two Uber engineers as safety drivers. Not exactly driverless, in fact they have twice the drivers an average cab has.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

BurgerTiime said:


> All trips will include two Uber engineers in the front seats as safety drivers, in the event a human needs to take over control from the vehicle's software.


Not only does Uber have to raise the rates to pay for the two engineers, but how many times are they going to have to cancel when they show up and 4 drunk ASU students want a ride?


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

Taxi Driver in Arizona said:


> Self driving cars with two Uber engineers as safety drivers. Not exactly driverless, in fact they have twice the drivers an average cab has.


...or average Uber has.



BurgerTiime said:


> http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/21/14687346/uber-self-driving-car-arizona-pilot-ducey-california
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Let me tell yall how this first fully autonomous SDC is going to play out with these Exec's as the first riders in these ridiculous things. They are going to do a pickup at a spot that only an idiot(SDC) could not have any issues with, to a destination that only an idiot(SDC) can not have any issues with stopping at(because you can't talk to a SDC to tell it to go a little bit forward). The weather is going to be sunny with no chance of clouds or rain. The route is going to be perfect roads with no construction work whatsoever and no traffic lights out of power to force you to obey police hand signals. And we if we get really lucky, it has an accident on its first ride(I'm going to be nice and hope nobody gets hurt) or it runs a red light(I'm going to be nice again and hope nobody gets hurt).



SEAL Team 5 said:


> Not only does Uber have to raise the rates to pay for the two engineers, but how many times are they going to have to cancel when they show up and 4 drunk ASU students want a ride?


You mean "5" drunk ASU students want a ride ?



SEAL Team 5 said:


> Not only does Uber have to raise the rates to pay for the two engineers, but how many times are they going to have to cancel when they show up and 4 drunk ASU students want a ride?


In fact, how's it going to even know to cancel ? How are the SDC's even going to be able to cancel in the first place ? lol Who's going to get the ticket for having too many passengers riding in the car ? lol

These SDC's are going to be walking, ok, driving, memes. lol Can you imagine all the fun people are going to be having on social media making fun of these things.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

If you are in a self-driving car of your own and are pulled over due to a tailight out and you you've been drinking, is that a DWI? Many cops say yes. You must take control or have control over vehicle if it becomes necessary. 
So then what if these cars have no driver and the taillight is out and is pulled over. Then would you be charged? No, right? Makes no sense. If the car doesn't belong to you then your in the clear? If Uber operates it then you can be charged? There seems to be a double standard with these and clearly the laws and tech have some serious growing up to do. That's why Cali kick their ass out. Uber won't grow up and wait for the laws to govern sistuations like that. Too many hurtles for them.


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## Nute Inside (Feb 21, 2017)

uberdriverfornow said:


> ...or average Uber has.
> 
> Let me tell yall how this first fully autonomous SDC is going to play out with these Exec's as the first riders in these ridiculous things. They are going to do a pickup at a spot that only an idiot(SDC) could not have any issues with, to a destination that only an idiot(SDC) can not have any issues with stopping at(because you can't talk to a SDC to tell it to go a little bit forward). The weather is going to be sunny with no chance of clouds or rain. The route is going to be perfect roads with no construction work whatsoever and no traffic lights out of power to force you to obey police hand signals. And we if we get really lucky, it has an accident on its first ride(I'm going to be nice and hope nobody gets hurt) or it runs a red light(I'm going to be nice again and hope nobody gets hurt).
> 
> ...





BurgerTiime said:


> If you are in a self-driving car of your own and are pulled over due to a tailight out and you you've been drinking, is that a DWI? Many cops say yes. You must take control or have control over vehicle if it becomes necessary.
> So then what if these cars have no driver and the taillight is out and is pulled over. Then would you be charged? No, right? Makes no sense. If the car doesn't belong to you then your in the clear? If Uber operates it then you can be charged? There seems to be a double standard with these and clearly the laws and tech have some serious growing up to do. That's why Cali kick their ass out. Uber won't grow up and wait for the laws to govern sistuations like that. Too many hurtles for them.


You guys don't know what your talking about.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> ...or average Uber has.
> 
> Let me tell yall how this first fully autonomous SDC is going to play out with these Exec's as the first riders in these ridiculous things. They are going to do a pickup at a spot that only an idiot(SDC) could not have any issues with, to a destination that only an idiot(SDC) can not have any issues with stopping at(because you can't talk to a SDC to tell it to go a little bit forward). The weather is going to be sunny with no chance of clouds or rain. The route is going to be perfect roads with no construction work whatsoever and no traffic lights out of power to force you to obey police hand signals. And we if we get really lucky, it has an accident on its first ride(I'm going to be nice and hope nobody gets hurt) or it runs a red light(I'm going to be nice again and hope nobody gets hurt).
> 
> ...


Wow you are so in for a huge let down.



Nut Insider said:


> You guys don't know what your talking about.


You summed that up nicely.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

The Federal Dept. of Transportation recently issued a related ruling with big implications. Autonomous vehicles may be treated as "people", which means they:

may be fined for traffic or moving violations
may be sued
may be jailed (impounded)
may be regulated by government agencies
who knows, they may even be taxed
Oh what fun the lawyers will have


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Maven said:


> The Federal Dept. of Transportation recently issued a related ruling with big implications. Autonomous vehicles may be treated as "people", which means they:
> 
> may be fined for traffic or moving violations
> may be sued
> ...


I can just imagine a messed up redlight near an airport that the uber cars don't recognize and that every uber car in the city gets a $400 ticket 5-10 times a day at...


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