Autonomous vehicle company Motional announced the launch of the first fully electric driverless car to be available on the Lyft network.
The launch of the IONIQ 5-based robotaxi on Lyft, which was designed for ride-hailing services, is part of a partnership aimed at offering a fully driverless service for consumers in Las Vegas in 2023.
“Motional and Lyft have a clear path to widespread commercialization of Level 4 autonomous vehicles,” said Karl Iagnemma, President and CEO of Motional. “Through our strategic partnership with Hyundai, the IONIQ 5 AV is fully customized for driverless ride-hail operation, while maintaining the vehicle’s award-winning comfort and design.”
The two companies plan to offer a fully driverless service in several U.S. cities, starting with Las Vegas. There is no mention of when (or if) the service will be available in Canada, but it is worth noting that Lyft is currently available in Vancouver and several cities in Ontario.
“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,” said Logan Green, CEO and Co-founder of Lyft.
He adds that they are designing an autonomous experience “where the only expectation for riders is to relax and enjoy the ride.”
