Uber riders in Pittsburgh can hail self-driving Ford Fusions in test program

• Trained engineers will sit in the driver's seat in case of emergency
• Uber is first US company to make autonomous cars available to public

Uber riders in Pittsburgh can now get a glimpse of the future by summoning a car capable of handling most of the tasks of driving on its own.

Starting Wednesday morning, a fleet of self-driving Ford Fusions will pick up Uber riders who opted to participate in a test program. While the vehicles are loaded with features that allow them to navigate on their own, an Uber engineer will sit in the driver's seat and seize control if things go awry.