Uber works with robotics research center on self-driving cars

Uber will conduct research into self-driving vehicles and create maps, the company announced. The internet transportation services company is collaborating with Carnegie Mellon University in setting up the research facility.

Part of the partnership between Uber and Carnegie Mellon University is the creation of the Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, on the university campus. In addition, the parties will conduct research at the National Robotics Engineering Center.

The research will focus on ‘mapping, vehicle safety and autonomous technology’. According to TechCrunch, Uber is hiring 50 scientists from the university and the National Robotics Engineering Center. The center was, among other things, responsible for the development of the Mars Rover.

Uber still uses map technology from Apple and Google, among others, but the group has been working on its own technology for some time. According to Bloomberg, Google is in turn working on an app that will offer the functionality of that of Uber, which would make the two companies competitors. Google has invested millions in Uber and the legal chief of the search company, David Drummond, is on the company’s board of directors.

However, The Wall Street Journal reports that this report is exaggerated and that it is just an internal app that Google employees use to carpool. The app would also have no relationship with Google’s autonomous vehicle project.