A Personal Journey into the World of Autonomous Driving
This week marked a poignant moment for motoring expert Steve Fowler, as his 89-year-old father made the decision to surrender his car keys. This personal event, coupled with a trip to the United States, offered a powerful glimpse into a future where autonomous vehicles could preserve independence for those no longer able to drive themselves.
Experiencing the Tech Firsthand in the US
Following the departure of his father's Lexus, Fowler travelled to Los Angeles, where he encountered a fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-Paces operated by the autonomous cab firm Waymo. These driverless vehicles, covered in sensors, can be hailed via an app, greet passengers by name on a screen, and even play their preferred music. The service is growing in popularity across LA and other American cities.
The experience continued in Arizona, where Fowler was a passenger in a Tesla Model Y utilising what the company calls Full Self-Driving (FSD). This technology, not yet legal for use on UK roads, is far more advanced than the Level Two autonomy available in Britain, which still requires the driver to hold the wheel. In the Tesla, the system undertook a 40-mile journey from a multi-storey car park to a private residence without the human host ever touching the steering wheel. Legally, the occupant must remain alert and ready to intervene, but the car requires only that you are looking at the road, not physically holding the wheel.
Taking the Wheel for a Test Drive
Eager to see the technology in action, Fowler visited a Tesla retailer in Glendale for a personal demonstration. After a short manual drive, he activated the Full Self-Driving mode with the dealership set as the destination. The car then proceeded to reverse out of its parking space, navigate onto public streets, and handle junctions, stop signs, and traffic lights. It adeptly negotiated parked cars, slowed for speed humps, and eventually returned to the dealership to park itself neatly in a bay. Fowler described the sensation as both eerie and extraordinary, noting that while it requires a leap of faith, the system performed impressively.
The Future of Mobility in the UK
The potential benefit of this technology is profoundly clear. Fowler reflected that if fully autonomous cars were already available in the UK, his father could have maintained his mobility and independence without being behind the wheel. While Waymo is scheduled to launch in the UK next year, widespread full autonomy for private cars remains some distance away. However, Fowler is optimistic that by the time he reaches an age where he must consider giving up driving, the technology will have advanced sufficiently to allow him to continue owning and enjoying his own car, forever changing the relationship between age and personal transport.
