Fetch Remote Control Taxis Coming To UK 2022
What Is Fetch?
Image Source Groupe Renault Media Center
Fetch is a company with a proprietary app & vehicles. The plan is to have Fetch cars in Milton Keyes by 2022. They will operate as taxis that can be summoned or hailed using their app. The kicker is that there won’t be any drivers in these cars, but rather they will operated remotely. It uses 5g phone services to communicate with its operators. Fetch claim there are plenty of failsafes in place so a backup driver isn’t needed.
Fetch had the following to say about their remote control tech:
“For fleet operators in the car sharing and short-term rental sector, remote driving technology can significantly increase revenue per car,” the company says. “They can relocate cars more quickly at periods of high demand, such as during rush hour, which is key to maximising utilisation rates. They can also extend the reach of their operations to enable intercity travel, while reducing fleet management costs associated with repositioning cars when rental periods end”
A Taxi That You Drive
Another one of the draws for Fetch is that you drive the car. Once the remote operator has delivered you a car, you assumed control and drive yourself to your destination. The reason for this is apparently fees, claiming they can undercut other major services like established taxis and Uber since the operators will only be operating the car to get it to the client, and can then focus on the next car delivery rather than worry about getting the customer to their location. The long term goal is to have all the vehicles fully autonomous within 5 years. We’ve seen a lot of companies say their focus is antonymous driving. If you’d like to see more related topics have a look at the following:
Apple Car Might Be Here Sooner Than You Think
Follow Up On Fetch
Launched in the UK in 2019. The service was unique in that it used remote-controlled electric taxis to transport passengers around the city of Milton Keynes. The vehicles were operated by trained remote drivers who used a combination of cameras and sensors to navigate the streets and transport passengers.
However, as of early 2023, there is no recent information available on the status of the Fetch service in the UK. It appears that the service may have faced some operational and regulatory challenges, and it is unclear if it is still operating or if it has been discontinued.
There have been a few reported incidents involving Fetch’s remote-controlled taxis. In one incident in June 2019, one of the remote-controlled taxis was involved in a collision with a pedestrian in Milton Keynes. The pedestrian was reportedly not seriously injured, and the incident was investigated by the local police.
Following the incident, Fetch temporarily suspended its services while it conducted an internal investigation and made changes to its safety protocols. Fetch worked closely with local authorities and regulatory agencies to ensure that its service met all necessary safety standards.
If we hear any follow up from Fetch we will update but at the moment the service is temporarily suspended it seems.
