Lyft is furthering its venture into autonomous vehicles. The rideshare company has partnered with AV automaker Motional to expand its driverless cab service.
While the Lyft was previously testing out self-driving cars in Las Vegas, it has now officially announced the upcoming launch of driverless ride-hail service. For the first time, Los Angeles users can specifically request an AV through the Lyft app.
The driverless rides will utilize Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 AV, which they bill as one of the safest AVs on the market. According to the companies, the IONIQ 5 has driven millions of miles across various environments with zero at-fault incidents. By rolling out the autonomous tech, Lyft wants to promote safer mobility in the city and decrease the number of traffic-related instances.
Lyft and Motional selected Los Angeles for their venture due its infamous traffic problem, along with a greater interest in AVs among Californians compared to the rest of the country. The two companies are working with local officials and organizations to measure the potential role of AVs in decreasing traffic
“Scaling AVs only works if riders can get a reliable ride, whether it’s autonomous or not, and together with Motional, Lyft will turn AV technology into transportation for Angelenos everywhere,” Lyft CEO Logan Green said.
Motional CEO Karl Iagnemma added that “Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the U.S. and represents a huge market opportunity for AV adoption.”
Lyft and Motional will share more details about the service’s launch in the near future.
In other automotive news, Porsche has officially revealed the 911 Dakar.
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