Udacity launches self-driving car nanodegree

The online education company Udacity is partnering with major companies in the field of autonomous vehicles to launch a nanodegree program for those interested in becoming a self-driving car engineer. "It is the first and only program of its kind where most people with an internet connection--from Detroit to Damascus and from Adelaide to Aleppo--can learn the skills they need to work in one of the most amazing fields of our time," Udacity founder and president Sebastian Thrun wrote in a blog post. The course, which spans three 12-week terms, covers deep learning, computer vision, sensor fusion, localization and controllers. Four major partners have committed to fast-tracking the nanodegree graduates into positions around the world: Mercedes-Benz, Nvidia, Otto (recently acquired by Uber) and Didi Chuxing. Thrun promised that more partners will be added to that list.