StreetWise

A consortium led by the autonomous driving company FiveAI is building a fleet of self-driving vehicles designed to replace the private commuter car in UK cities. The project tackles a specific gap: current autonomous vehicle technology works well on motorways but struggles with the unpredictable mix of pedestrians, cyclists, and human-driven cars found in dense urban centres. StreetWise aims to prove that the software and sensors are now smart enough to handle that complexity safely. If successful, the project could reshape how millions of people move through cities. Instead of owning a car that sits idle most of the day, commuters would use a shared autonomous pod on demand. The consortium predicts this would cut congestion, reduce accident rates, and lower emissions by replacing petrol-powered single-occupancy journeys. It would also recover the time drivers currently lose to traffic—time they could spend working or resting. The project is not pure fundamental science; it is an applied demonstration. It combines perception and AI software from FiveAI with hardware from McLaren Applied Technologies, insurance models from Direct Line, and real-world testing supported by Transport for London. The outcome is intended to be a commercially viable service, not just a prototype.