Uber has launched its self-driving cars in San Francisco – three months after launching its initial self-driving vehicle pilot in Pittsburgh – in partnership with Volvo.

During the pilot, anybody that requests an UberX in the Golden Gate City will be matched with a self-driving Uber, if one is available.

In a post on Uber’s newsroom, head of Uber’s advanced technology group Anthony Levandowski said: “The promise of self-driving is core to our mission of reliable transportation, everywhere for everyone. As demand for ridesharing continues to skyrocket, the future of transportation will be a mix of human drivers and self-driving cars.

“We know that when people can get an affordable, reliable ride across town, things change for the better. Cities become safer, cleaner, more efficient and more affordable. Ridesharing also helps cut into automobile-related deaths and drunk driving.

“It complements public transit, getting people to places that aren’t well served by other forms of transportation. And by getting more people into fewer cars, we can reduce congestion and pollution in our cities over time.”

The announcement by Uber is likely to infuriate San Francisco’s city officials, who recently made it very clear that they blame services like Uber for the city’s high levels of traffic congestion.