London has entered a new phase of urban transportation, with Ford's Mustang Mach-E taking on an unusual role as one of the city's first autonomous taxis. Uber and British self-driving technology company Wayve have launched supervised autonomous rides in the capital, giving passengers the opportunity to experience a car that can handle the journey with assistance from artificial intelligence.The service officially launched on September 3, with selected passengers booking UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort potentially being paired with a Wayve-equipped Mustang Mach-E. Riders do not have to pay an additional fee for the autonomous option. Those who would rather have a conventional journey can also decline the self-driving vehicle and request a standard Uber.However, these Mach-Es are not yet completely driverless. A trained safety driver licensed by Transport for London remains behind the wheel during every journey. The driver is there to monitor the vehicle and take control whenever required, reflecting the UK's current rules surrounding autonomous passenger services.AdvertisementAdvertisementWayve has initially deployed just 15 Mustang Mach-Es in London, according to Carscoops, so encountering one will still be relatively uncommon for Uber users. Nevertheless, the interest in autonomous transportation appears significant, with more than 140,000 people in London having already indicated that they would like to try an autonomous Uber ride.Image Credit: WayveThe electric SUVs are equipped with Wayve's AV2.0 autonomous driving technology. Rather than depending entirely on highly detailed maps and pre-programmed routes, the system uses an AI Driver designed to learn from real-world driving experiences and apply that knowledge to different road situations.The technology also gives passengers a more interactive experience. A display inside the vehicle lets riders begin their trip and follow the car's planned route while traveling. The system is also capable of supporting 64 languages, potentially making the service accessible to a wide range of passengers.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor now, the autonomous rides cover London but do not extend into airport zones. The launch nevertheless represents a significant step for Wayve and Uber as they work toward making self-driving ride-hailing more widely available.The Mustang Mach-E's involvement is also notable for Ford. A vehicle originally designed to combine electric power with the character of the Mustang name is now being used to demonstrate how autonomous technology could eventually change everyday transportation.Wayve and Uber are expected to expand their autonomous operations into other markets, with Uber planning additional autonomous ride-hailing launches in several cities this year.
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