StreetDrone, a U.K.-based autonomous technology company, has brought the idea of subscription services for automobiles into the world of autonomy by launching “the world’s first subscription-based self-driving software solution.”

The subscription service, named Enterprise ASLAN, is aimed at companies that require deployment in short timeframes. The service removes the need for large capital investments in software to get into autonomy, the company said in a statement.

Applications are geared toward low-speed environments including last-mile deliveries, campus transport, ports and quayside freighting, bus and coach depot movements, parking management, airport support services, urban passenger transport, and contactless medicine deliveries.

StreetDrone said the software stack is platform-agnostic, capable of running on any vehicle and is not tied exclusively to StreetDrone vehicles. 

StreetDrone is also offering its engineering capability to help design applications for use in specific markets and environments. This removes the need for customers to invest in technical expertise and focus instead on the commercial realization of autonomy. 

The Enterprise ASLAN package also includes training modules to allow businesses to progressively grow in-house capability to suit their specific commercial needs, including safety driver as well as software engineering training. 

“Many businesses simply don’t contemplate driverless solutions as they are terrified by the costs and the lack of options in the marketplace,” said Mike Potts, StreetDrone’s CEO in a statement. "So we’ve set about addressing that from a customer perspective by making the costs lower and amortizable. We’ve removed the need for specialist hardware platforms and vehicles and indeed the need to commit to hiring engineers. If a customer’s solution grows and they want to bring the expertise in-house, then Enterprise ASLAN provides a training platform to transfer that knowledge."