Lyft is launching Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 autonomous robotaxi on its ride-hailing network in Las Vegas.
This will be the first fully-electric autonomous vehicle to operate on the Lyft network. Its launch marks the next milestone in establishing Motional and Lyft’s fully driverless service, which is anticipated to begin in 2023.
The service will then be gradually rolled out across multiple US cities.
Logan Green, Lyft’s CEO and co-founder said:Launching Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 on Lyft’s network in Las Vegas represents tremendous progress in our vision to make an electric, autonomous, and shared future a reality for people everywhere. Building an experience that Lyft riders love is core to advancing this technology, and today's launch provides riders access to Motional’s autonomous technology in a way that will feel seamless, familiar, and personalised, all on a network they already trust. We are designing an autonomous experience where the only expectation for riders is to relax and enjoy the ride.
In Las Vegas, Motional and Lyft have been offering autonomous rides with a safety driver since 2018. The fully-autonomous IONIQ 5 will now allow riders to control their journey without assistance from a driver.
The new service includes the ability to unlock the doors through the Lyft app and to start the ride or contact customer support through the in-car Lyft AV app.
Karl Iagnemma, Motional’s President and CEO said:Motional and Lyft have a clear path to widespread commercialisation of Level 4 autonomous vehicles. We’ve led the industry in commercial operations for years, and today’s launch signals we’re on track to deliver a fully driverless service next year. Riders in Las Vegas can now experience Motional’s IONIQ 5 AV that will make that service a reality. Through our strategic partnership with Hyundai, the IONIQ 5 AV is fully customised for driverless ride-hail operation, while maintaining the vehicle’s award-winning comfort and design.
