Concept: UK’s grocery retailers Asda and Ocado have completed British startup Wayve’s autonomous technology trial as part of its last-mile delivery operations in London. Wayve has teamed up with Microsoft to gain access to the supercomputing infrastructure needed to scale its AI models for self-driving cars. Wayve’s technology employs deep end-to-end learning to create AI that allows vehicles to navigate complex situations autonomously.

Nature of Disruption: The duo has tested driverless vehicles that can navigate difficult urban delivery routes. The van would be equipped with cameras and computers and will drive autonomously, while under the constant supervision of a Wayve safety driver. Wayve’s AV2.0 technology combines a light, camera-first sensing suit with an end-to-end deep learning engine that learns from petabytes of driving data provided by partner fleets. The British startup intends to employ Microsoft’s supercomputing infrastructure to aid in the global development of AI-based models for autonomous vehicles. It leverages deep learning systems for autonomy, which can scale to new areas faster than rules-based solutions. Wayve can provide self-driving transportation experiences to more individuals and organizations faster by merging deep learning-based autonomous vehicle systems with Microsoft Azure computing capacity.

Outlook: The enormous amount of data required for the simulation, validation, and training of AI models that enable safe and secure autonomous driving necessitates supercomputing capabilities. Using Microsoft Azure technology, Wayve aims to realize its full potential in powering the future of mobility. Without any city-specific changes, the system can safely navigate the cities, thus helping Asda and Ocado to perform last-mile delivery quickly and safely. Additionally, French logistics company DPD would offer Wayze extra driving data from its Greater London van fleet.

This article was originally published in Verdict.co.uk