Uber has confirmed it made a self-driving car, with an official photo and more.

Exactly one year ago, a different photo surfaced showing what looks like an early prototype of the self-driving vehicle Uber has just confirmed. The ride-sharing company has long hinted at its grand dream of eventually replacing drivers with automated vehicles, but it stayed mum on that leaked photo from last year. Now, however, it is being more transparent, finally confirming that it is testing self-driving cars in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Along with that confirmation, Uber published the first photo of its self-driving car. The vehicle is a hybrid Ford Fusion, and it's been the focus of Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh for quite some time. The test car is not only able to perform self-driving capabilities but also collect mapping data, thanks to sensors like radars, laser scanners, and high-res cameras.

In a blog post, Uber explained that 94 per cent of fatal car accidents involve human error, but it believes self-driving technology will result in far fewer lives lost: "These goals are at the heart of Uber’s mission to make transportation as reliable as running water." Uber is working on getting the technology right and ensuring it’s safe for everyone. Uber has already informed local officials and law enforcement about its testing, too.

Uber added that it chose Pittsburgh as the home of its Advanced Technologies Center because of the city's "world-class engineering talent and research facilities." Pittsburgh is also an ideal environment for testing due to its wide variety of road types, traffic patterns, and weather conditions.