Motional and Lyft Plan Fully Driverless Robotaxi Service in Las Vegas
Motional and Lyft announce a fully driverless ride-hailing service launching in Las Vegas in 2023 using the all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5. The landmark deployment marks the first time the public accesses fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicles in Nevada.
Motional and Lyft plan to launch a fully driverless public ride-hail service in Las Vegas starting in 2023. This deployment represents the first time fully autonomous cars are available for ride-hailing use by the public in Nevada. The service utilizes Motional's next-generation all-electric robotaxi, which is based on the Hyundai IONIQ 5, and is accessible directly through the Lyft app.
This expansion builds upon a successful three-year history of operating a public self-driving service with safety drivers in the city. The companies design this new fully driverless phase to be highly scalable, positioning Motional and Lyft to introduce millions of riders to autonomous technology. Following the Las Vegas launch, the partners plan to quickly scale the driverless fleet to multiple other markets across the Lyft network.
Leaders from both companies highlight the partnership as a major milestone for the autonomous vehicle industry. Motional's CEO notes that the collaboration lays the foundation for large-scale robotaxi deployments, while Lyft's CEO points out that Motional's driverless technology combined with Lyft's marketplace engine brings the platform firmly into the self-driving future. The joint effort ultimately aims to transform everyday transportation through widespread driverless accessibility.