Fetch, a new on-demand car-hailing service using remote-controlled driverless vehicles, has been launched by Imperium Drive. The service is first launching in Milton Keynes before being rolled out across the country.
It will be able to connect with other urban areas and key transport interchanges, such as airports. Customers can hire a car through the Fetch app, stating when they need it and for how long.
An electric vehicle (EV), which is remotely controlled by an operator, is then delivered to them. The customer then drives the car themselves to their destination and when the rental period is up, the remote vehicle operator takes over and pilots the car back to base or to the next user.
Koosha Kaveh, the chief executive of Imperium Drive, said: “It's driverless but not autonomous - yet. There's still a human involved, but they're sitting in a control centre piloting the vehicle in the same way you would a drone.
When fully autonomous, we think this system has the potential to replace private car ownership in the UK. Why pay all the costs of having a car on your drive when you can just pay for one to arrive when you need it.
For short trips, the service offers the same convenience as a ride-hailing or taxi service, but with the ability to cover greater distances at less than half the cost of services like Uber or Bolt.
There are currently four cars in the Imperium Drive fleet, operating within a four-mile radius of the Milton Keynes city centre hub.
