Watch two Pittsburgh Steelers and one autonomous Uber take a ride round town
With over sixty percent of Americans feeling either downright nervous about, or just plain anti self-driving cars, Uber and other car companies are hoping these kinds of videos will encourage the general public to embrace the technology when it finally rolls out
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Watch two Pittsburgh Steelers and one autonomous Uber take a ride round town', 311 Institute, 3 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/watch-as-two-pittsburgh-steelers-and-one-autonomous-uber-taxi-take-a-ride-round-pittsburgh/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Uber’s self driving cars have been operating on a limited basis in Pittsburgh for a couple of months now and getting a ride in one is by invitation only. So it was with great luck, or maybe because of great connections that defensive ends Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt, from the Pittsburgh Steelers, managed to get a ride in one, although at times it might not look like they were actually going to be able to fit into the back of the car, so while it would have been far too cramped in the back for you to tag along and experience it for yourself fortunately they posted a video of their experience so now you too can see what it'll be like to get taken for a ride.
Post on X
Tuitt: "What are we going to do?" Cam: "Don't worry, bro. I got the @Uber_PIT." pic.twitter.com/08KhpV02GR
Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 7, 2016
In case you're wondering why Pittsburgh is so special it's because that's where Ubers Advanced Technologies Center and robotics facility is based, right next to, arguably, the kings of the autonomous car world at Carnegie Mellon University who so far have spawned more autonomous car experts than every other university combined.
Despite all the fanfare though I'm still left thinking that this isn't as cool as getting into an Uber flying taxi so I'll wait for my invitation to try one of those instead...
What this means for your organisation
Fear holds back adoption.
Most people are wary of riding in a car with no driver. Technology alone will not change that. Firms need to earn trust before scale.
Familiarity builds confidence.
Seeing well known people ride makes the experience feel normal. Trials, videos and open demos lower anxiety. Leaders should plan public exposure as part of rollout.
Talent clusters matter.
The pilot sits next to a university that has produced many autonomy experts. Access to talent shapes where new industries grow. Firms should locate near the skills they need.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- What would make our customers trust autonomous services?
- How can we show people new technology before asking them to rely on it?
- Are we close enough to the talent our plans need?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
With over sixty percent of Americans feeling either downright nervous about, or just plain anti self-driving cars, Uber and other car companies are hoping these kinds of videos will encourage the general public to embrace the technology when it finally rolls out
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on transport and mobility and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- View on X → twitter.com
- Carnegie Mellon University cmu.edu
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 3 December 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Watch two Pittsburgh Steelers and one autonomous Uber take a ride round town. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/watch-as-two-pittsburgh-steelers-and-one-autonomous-uber-taxi-take-a-ride-round-pittsburgh/
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