Internal company documents obtained by Recode show that Uber's self-driving cars regularly need human assistance.

The metrics show that Uber's self-driving cars can barely drive a mile before they "disengage," which is when a safety driver has to take control of the vehicle. Compared to company's like Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving-car company, the data shows Uber has a very long way to go before achieving full autonomy.

Uber is conducting a pilot program in Pittsburgh using Ford Fusion cars retrofitted with its autonomous tech. The company attempted to launch another pilot in San Francisco, but was forced to leave after failing to obtain an autonomous driving permit.

We got a ride in Uber's self-driving Ford Fusion back in September and experienced firsthand how regularly the car disengaged. Here's what happens when the car fails and what it says about Uber's place in the autonomous space: