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Uber may bring self-driving cars to DC sooner than you think

In the test phase, two drivers would remain in the car to step in if unforeseen errors arise.

WASHINGTON — Self-driving cars may sound like an idea once reserved for science fiction films, but according to Uber, they might become a District reality sooner than you think.

On Thursday, the ride-sharing company announced plans to test self-driving cars in D.C., with three road-mapping vehicles hitting the streets as early as Jan. 24. The three cars will be equipped with cameras and sensors aimed at collecting map data and road information, helping gather a better sense of the layout of D.C. and the driving situations riders experience.

Uber's latest model of the self-driving car, a Volvo XC90 SUV, looks like any other car, with the exception of the added 360-degree sensory camera on its roof. Although controlled by computer software, a physical driver will remain behind the wheel to step in if unforeseen errors happen, and a secondary safety employee will be sitting next to them just in case. 

The goal of the new technology is to further test the success of automated vehicles, as well as test the success of Uber's third-generation model of the cars.

Credit: Uber Technologies / Volvo

RELATED: DC prepares to welcome more self-driving cars to city streets

Credit: Uber Technologies / Volvo

"Developing self-driving technology is one of the biggest technical challenges of our time," a statement from Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), which spears the project, said. "If successful, these vehicles have the potential to make our roads safer and transportation more affordable for everyone."

D.C. isn't the first place to test out the new technology from Uber -- San Francisco, Toronto and Dallas have also been testing grounds for automated cars. Currently, Pittsburgh is the only city in the country to have vehicles operate autonomously, as Uber ATG's group is based there.

But safety concerns about the self-driving cars have been apparent. 

WATCH: Are ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft making your commute worse?


In March 2018, Uber was forced to halt the project in Arizona after one of the company's self-driving SUV's struck and killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg in Tempe. Following the accident, an investigation from The National Transportation Safety Board found that the backup driver in charge of manning the car in case of emergency was distracted and that the company "lacked a proper safety culture." 

Uber has worked to tackle those claims, reinstating an emergency brake system and ramping up training efforts for backup drivers. The company also announced increased efforts to improve safety reviews both internally and externally.

It is not yet clear when the company would open the self-driving cars to riders, or when the automated vehicles will hit D.C. on a more permanent basis. Until then, be on the look out.

Credit: AP
An Uber office is seen in Secaucus, N.J., Friday, Nov. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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