Insights gathered from those taking part are expected to contribute to towards the development of shared autonomous mobility services.

“Shared, self driving vehicle services promise a better way for people to get around,” said FiveAI’s chief executive Stan Boland. “We’ll be working with forward thinking partners to make these services a reality in European urban environments.

“The lessons learned through StreetWise provide an important step towards that goal.”

Other partners on the project include the Transport Research Laboratory, which will assess participants’ willingness to use and pay for the service and their attitudes towards safety, as well as insurer Direct Line, which is providing the research participants.

TRL’s chief scientist David Hynd said: “We’re very excited about entering this phase of the project to create credible and real world insights on the willingness to use and attitudes towards a shared, automated service, which will go a long way to helping us understand how these services can meet the needs of end users.”

Trained safety drivers will sit behind the wheel at all times during the trials, which are funded by UK Research & Innovation and are part of a wider programme managed by the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles.

(Photograph: FiveAI)