Lyft to Offer Driverless Ride-Hails ‘as Soon as This Summer’
When Lyft launches its first driverless trips, it will be through existing partnerships, including with Toyota Motor Corp.-backed startup May Mobility in Atlanta.
Photographer: Jeenah Moon/BloombergLyft Inc. said it plans to offer driverless vehicles on its platform “as soon as this summer,” and that it sees human drivers transitioning to other work such as fleet management as autonomous rides become more ubiquitous.
The company has been spending more time pitching its vision for the future of its gig-economy business model as it plays catch-up in offering autonomous rides. Driverless ride-hailing has become more commonplace in some key US markets through competing platforms. Like rival Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft envisions a hybrid future where human drivers will complement autonomous vehicle fleets, especially during periods of peak demand.