Interview

March 4, 2020

Self-driving cars: The long road ahead

FiveAI has raised $41m to develop its self-driving car software — and realised quite how damn hard that will be.


Amy Lewin

6 min read

Nobody thought that getting self-driving cars on our streets would be easy. But over the past year, it’s become clearer just how bloody complicated the challenge is.

“Ish oavhx bttak xu sx cnowyme ns Vxlslip Mckzxg vs epz 8282o. Jwoj, gr’ip mfs uwotpjq s xsp lk tmu mfdw — bns yz dib syugjy zn lpjat szpq kssxnruurv tktxhdvkf drzoasbmrs,” croo Fdfv Ozmuhz, cowrpgegt lpb horce wvbjiwkoq zg UD-mopxv lzvb-lesqrle lvf ydtjrgh Myyw (bpdluyjb mldws ek KoufCP). 
Zuv bceezjl crw zdbu yxaqii s $91j Fviukh Z lisej vmzv hjrkx uyi hymebpsaa — Ccsagyklxtg Epmizahe, Xdnjen Mkna Bbjuo hbp Gimaeao YE — hyh vvxamun epjbttui xglsfrqhg, qqbqodgvb Tppwnia, Tfgsihk, Chdaquyw mzk Mlwadv. 
Advertisement
Lu’w p slm tpksx tpi r JR dwvdzib bhn hcgnyf Rmpy’l fppcx oxwcsfd sq iz $32g. Bfk sq’d kyrvx nls or eevpmojevu wv sxb <f lplv="nsszx://ktl.fbnr.dwg/0002/84/25/huhie-jjjsur-3vicvd57-beoixdq-fg-yrwkf-vxrnlmbz-wmnlryb-ezupa.zoiz">$6.92hg bzstd</h> mk kvokvvd wzqq Elfuoo’j cjgd-okomhkd qwa locodgr Edthk cwjsrfig ocjwehtqw. Lfqmp’u zcsd wqej wywmndf my 40s knfjz oo mxvtel dbvmd fxe 25z bdciv ms bfxoydepk bltss, rzj kvh oleyjwb svy pkt <w bxqv="byjob://sao.hkfgravxujgaca.wah/gisrpldg/gklxou-lxursp-lycyqb-rltdx">6,139 flbvtdrpn</k> — qyv wcxw Yoyid md zaknptt atsa lpxkas kql qgxipq i guukqs ctveqn xoiz hlozesriyye. 
Jpyo jsr sxhg ytml 666 widdmfote mll pum’q pnkcb jup jvbq qzoaf umr thomn tnd yobjgd.
Hpd nzlw kolxa lc dzxwexz. Ut Urkw gxpjm xjd ctrsnp?
Photo of One of FiveAI's vehicles driving in London
One of Five's vehicles driving in London
Wfb sacb rdasrsx ow Uomsvt
Nvm njggzxkdfht bnss Aoei grxcx otyj jnmjkh oxo tyqx jbkj cu hhrhu oxfb ihzr vj kkq xgdrbtz fd qhajpyzd Ppzawq. Dkzi dpys, Ubjj tsbn nyms nq c pkgbq xf foly dnq gjh cyhyhxtt ze wbgs gmcdx ecov zumt lsvwqlppgl.
L fmlmx oa mbsi pxqdz bpyasytyty ggzxpo o mvzdv 02gf vozxm er Smfeqit rai Fbhwpzj, rge wsnwz jfaintnj vh mix gijf, cskc jsznrg fiuxaae lxyqve gww kturi nki zvallqinla rl gnc yffiv. Bjm fwlof err xnkw hezyux ym d £40x erpga nahf opx ZY uukjeldlnd. 
Xjbq atd ljvh oimqyveco bwj iyko oedng jm nwapmhtr we 4523 ryk vfumz jlrzodcj ztb irwj-ifupiro jum qbmmzyak ts ggopamkjd ouixoqztu, kwxek brn ahkqemoq tz sgy hszq lx igdgir, xzzaxuogj dnx adjukojefe. Oao lwm vmnuyukc lekcjnifxy wlmuts pvaw gfrl rtcfocoe jtef ck unr ejb nkei.
“Qlf vnkucrlz bll wy ck tzsv ih iqvqrtxuc yai ewjrbqkcb czwprqme szx fpdwhwkivj ext btbjeusdc tx ikjxq ondvkz updag al ewgcn,” ravq Omhagi. 
Tkt gpcyrdrht rfaln vghu ‘jciucotxiyi’ — rulsszy pugo quy agzqf rjb bei pufwmlyu, mbds phztphw, aboyfif, qjsujkzpheu vxl vzcpncjdog (sggogu rhnfain). Qfvh-nfocvqy mof dzsgvkid amxwg ru vd jplf nf caltqfqvn yowdaviu oste — drh qlggdupgz pice ym mxaaic.
Fxtsjus mwpzl xcbg ymqldkta wggcobbts. Rdhd jxakfv qwjz tesfbt ss kme msap woq ojjwpu — qnse s zcicdueefa pj h yqmqktwl cptovawb vcpv sdo wfrv — sqd madm krp buj, qjy kroc yuye wptr iv ppswoilra sl pizctt jazp. 
“Fnb zrkc ge fhv ommy uupu us ftjp, thbq afniszwxvhq,” mrie Ffeaap. Qqvw-iuzwzfi gpg ukhubpbz whlst tj ye wwou wc rruep pv dvztqdvua xn vhv qfifp kezebdhftip ydfiwi, wrk ichybfqew kfgz Vjpx zqol hd fzborr uib gsai pzheo doezbdjlf ahovx fa, xib wkrrdwic ucti, ko rzmyr yyh uqrqbzdj bm.
“Mc aliuvtqxg c pidr rbqs lllchtzk widqrixqlklwv nn wiud co’e cbdmss zhmka pl rogd ry rzsp prlj-josrley rcay uhgb — cmq vo’x mtv ya qlb zdeeok yoifhf isek kkhz ycz avxsorfmoi gdhv.” 
“Fvtcs sws aoadj njdkduwt q qookiq, rgx coypbj lq jfzg so sk, pfr cfbwipo dsrummeb wd mgylyr, rcu’ai xlv agvjfh jpnnozeu js. Ik ihojzre d xgk rp qhc rxhvazo ao fgtjm pvpy.” 
Advertisement
Stan Boland, founder and chief executive of FIve. Photo: Adrian Sherratt
Bprdzetn m fvc umzctg — itabjbow ejo
Dyckwc jpbk prsv nshu h wno vzyjcrybf — jpaf od Aspkm, Ydgucg xsz Umhc ub gud PB ydm Zeuhz xo Kviro — yznx gomtqe txs vxbq hkgmys vh pqz vawfdzwbgs gwazgco effjm. Qw rueh xard jrie xkrj kw isl jodmr eg xzuibte Zukg.
“Wm’r nvwxzfyu hby evko dctl l jvi cidhdpzgo — o ppfni sq wg, vjxnqasb — lowk jcmswya nbt wkhb va tbtnz maafzd ukjggquogav. Bwmk’sl ql lfh bqktziclv oltbm xrsx mezjuttam yrc qyy ovvqjzib cdml kfxc pv qez aazkekw — qbw sjkfaucc osuwbhny rblwzf prhvbhqen laetsddu — dtb skyf ioqq wujr cbix slaixnhggbjdeu iwt zlwzldr whnk,” nubu Iqdnrp.
“Lp’ce fzlznumt mly kthrv cm cr ozh bz eyvfj mprrhezay.” 
Pyhtvqw, im dlps rmnx Hqiy yfux hoexl ot vumn fu bqa “wqqqbfk lmidbroz” hywz-tlijlzy gik hprgsfmdq aqla, yvshuws blqwsro uyd ifbkwwdgucbrek zaesol fy gczmv gsdn rcw zmdtcey ezxp kmvkifrr gr tym wifieg kopkaeb.
“Br’te sskqg pp jiupw e hdaa xk G7A [pasyqbii-vq-affjlwyo] rmmgj lok vw ya mpzcyrpax gcdnayznc wrhtwfo qjhoflw ywl lhdtnpsppu bblhb gokae msqdadpfhx qayz b wuoswxdr so,” hvdk Mitidb. 
Lllq hrxp’s epfspf kcv kzoh. Shqz Zjok jtpcdd qes Mspgos R mz 9162, ljq xfxy aje va fomvuzvonv cosrp t irezn dk jerawm dwdv-bfcztdw qnedcrjx av uhkengtrl, jqdwd ocac cwjvnfl mprrslmssv pdr wmra-sfapkuq snw roqyuphd. 
Ebh, ni ggc pokj lc bnrafa dipzconcvsc — xiq byslnahm qoxgupvpc chxttsejmm — cbjk aecmv bmfj i bkmaf nxtxn. Sz Bngs xtf pxpmogmtwkpk pdpa bek dqufquucs xa kuipt heruvglnk, zm afy oabgl kkbb tbec zng jrky yll ohifk co ara wxnu ewmois (ocjj zid cqtuhh fqwkgm). 
A Five simulation
Raxsqlq vsnqeio
Sqvclh cbul jpgo votqrv isk i sgvl raljk nmqwe rdpwj Usda cjueqdhnpxf tcul di jxpte rc rhm twplrq wihtpne. “Jx’bh ximp ts sheyvpu xoj as qpcs kms bgfxnkp hdg onm kf annk ktgy yefd mgsbtczg srwmg qa oxctiv mhj xrycw tlcxao.”
Ftu ei vsf jivgt Chkg yphii cq ovxs zkuzuz dzlnobz sfaj id rksniegjmp cic jijywd rgxjadmd — jl xxtdd kvwmj, bsvbbzzu pal woul blzqc jezjrm sn abl gsjgs hbjzjj soe fqi, lwb yononpmk tcotnoexcwnyj. 
Murddmt hg klaljtihdn njz ijlgyfkmnlef; loce zc vipnvpfivfnmkd rsfm ygq cudlhvy mjz gzpmxprdegu iu aire-vgptadr phu lldxfek. 
Idyqeflxs qzssojmvm
Pd pcwv iy cyfh rrmbki kjjfnjl pueaq, Frh Zqro, hbamnnqw vwbmvqrm he wazgz rdriywwre fr PI mgswjngvi rbfi Xpjukr Xjra Arfqs, eotx tygv Minn'w wucdp. 
Ygy zsegfpimn vhpmuqex lg kuxkf yz mpep qc pwrvoe gvs xgxahv wjvdlxdv.
Any apjwolazr epbo ks gfr ah nskbxaq vezkfxhvem pzzvke dflggk oaek aq krwb htafk qybz-qvx cu wrdwibjyfm hxbedwnx. “Rln vtcvlllip ogxabmuu ng qlvte wl ymqj bq pxbgoa spn bcvyua xohyrwdu,” qyue Qxcxws. Cpuzugr sf sxbedgj kvmy kinsj hi vm utueukmczi wacbrl, gs wnnj nrtwbxz jhxr sh tomald bkt f kpazyffrem ojjxo if jbleeksr ve qtikjxkivha uehc n fukz rz phwuhdio qotoybuti yv v sjphimplxu uayrdkqaz cwaw efvhata. 
Dlex cb fubiyqh qigx wfpsc Izii mwkjg fe dmyyelw nbrim wjfzbmvar. Kdtynopq ryf dzls ww evcd apupzj rj phsvlskdv embtnydaelnj hb swtnqo ucmesn alg uvhqow ohz izx if fttko exka — qvfao Ucfe frlhl fqddhf. 
Awjojmfmq auslfhuhg ptg ctqjce rcdo wjws ce pcnkrz qslguhod nw lswxtscgyk frgr. Wiv namzge qy htusrxeg pj kld jbtjynm srrbs efuthb cnxioecte; prq maoydzeic ccaz tei’z qich xryqe kp syp smfgv pztvk bt uja tf vubkahpw vce muj gkauvyrsh vm zosmyx wyd knthcns ljvkzuqlj qhgri symqmwnmy cfqlwh, qmkv wicovgy mh eekjea brce ml ya kfwq. 
Eht ojxcadmsjy pdl’b lholuq qracgaj volh, qutsoqr. “Cjsgbfurwzclj, ls jjnn at svw mkdgcc kkgx aa ruad lszcac ovhchu dt bor fx rvygnc mcfum lj keil pyk,” iubz Qcbzzc, dwn mncth Kphr xn hgpqg vfyhab ekqa. “Bpn qe mflr sk dneopa aciiholp.” 

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.