Carnegie Mellon University signs strategic alliance with taxi app Uber to develop self-driven cabs.

Uber, the developer of the highly successful taxi app of the same name, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to develop self-driven cars.

As part of the deal, Uber will support the creation of the Uber Advanced Technologies Centre near the CMU campus, which will harness the institution’s robotics resources to drive forward development of the car.

Exact financial details of the deal have not been made public, but it is understood the funding from Uber will also stretch to supporting faculty chairs and graduate fellowships at CMU on top of the new centre. It is also expected to create new jobs in the Pittsburgh area.

The development will pit Uber against one of its own investors, Google, which is also developing its own self driving car. Through the company’s corporate venture capital unit, Google Ventures, the internet giant has taken part in two of Uber’s largest venture capital rounds. In June last year, Google backed a $1.2bn round into Uber, and also took part in a $258m round in August 2013.

Andrew Moore, dean of the School of Computer Science at CMU, said: “Uber is a rapidly growing company known for its innovative technology that is radically improving access to transportation for millions of global citizens. CMU is renowned for innovations that transform lives. We look forward to partnering with Uber as they build out the Advanced Technologies Centre and to working together on real-world applications, which offer very interesting new challenges at the intersections of technology, mobility, and human interactions.”