Yahoo Autos Lyft ramps up autonomous driving fleet with new partnerships
In a bid to stay competitive in the race toward autonomous ride-hailing, Lyft is announcing new partnerships with top autonomous vehicle (AV) players May Mobility and Mobileye. These partnerships are part of Lyft’s plan to put self-driving vehicles on the road for its users in the near future.
The deal with May Mobility will soon bring autonomous minivans to Atlanta-area riders, while its new partnership with Intel-owned Mobileye will integrate the company’s self-driving system into Lyft’s network. This means that vehicles equipped with Mobileye’s AV tech can join the rideshare network, opening up access to Lyft’s vast customer base without the company having to directly manage a fleet of Mobileye-equipped cars.
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Mobileye
Atlanta riders get a first look at autonomous Lyft fleet
Come 2025, Lyft riders in Atlanta will be among the first to try autonomous rides, thanks to a new partnership with May Mobility.
Starting with a fleet of Toyota Sienna minivans, May Mobility’s AVs are expected to expand into more cities if the Atlanta launch goes smoothly. This collaboration is another step for Lyft as it tries to make AVs a regular sight on U.S. streets and more available to urban riders.
Related: Hyundai and Waymo’s new partnership could bring autonomous driving to your driveway
Facing off against Waymo
Lyft’s announcement comes at an interesting time in the industry, as autonomous driving becomes more commonplace in the ride-hailing industry
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has arisen as a serious competitor in the autonomous ride-hailing field. The Waymo One ride-hailing service completes 100,000 paid rides per week across multiple major U.S. cities. It’s a big question if Lyft’s new AV offerings can compete with Waymo’s more established fleet.
Hyundai
Unlike Waymo, it doesn’t appear that Lyft wants a fully autonomous fleet. “Lyft’s aim is to connect AVs, drivers, riders, and partners to create new opportunities for all,” said Lyft CEO David Risher. “Our rideshare network will continue to evolve as millions of people will have the opportunity to earn billions of dollars whether they choose to drive, put their AVs into service, or both.”
Final thoughts
As Uber and Lyft have battled for market share, Waymo has carved out a significant space for itself in the autonomous ride-hailing niche. Now, with Lyft’s new AV partnerships, the competition is starting to heat up.
By tapping into Mobileye’s and May Mobility’s expertise, Lyft is setting itself up to grow AV technology across its network. But with heavyweights like Waymo expanding their fleets, Lyft has some catching up to do if it wants to be a serious contender in the AV ride-hailing market.
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