How are start-ups shaping the self-driving revolution?

UK start-up Five (Five AI Inc.) is helping steer the automotive industry towards a safe, driverless future. It began developing an innovative platform for autonomous mobility as a service four years ago. Developments took a big step forward in October 2019 with Five's participation in the StreetWise London road tests. This project, led by Five, saw a fleet of self-driving vehicles ferry commuters around London, one of the more complex testing environments. Five provided the reference software stack that powers pivotal aspects of the vehicles' self-driving systems.

Since then, the company has gone on to secure fresh funding from investors. The most recent US$41m infusion puts its total funding at US$77m, making it one of the best-funded autonomous driving start-ups in Europe. As Chief Executive Stan Boland tells Automotive World, that financial backing should go far in helping Five make a real contribution to the mobility ecosystem of the future.