Motional and Lyft have been conducting autonomous rides in Las Vegas since 2018
Motional and Lyft announced the launch of the former’s new all-electric IONIQ 5-based robotaxi, an autonomous vehicle (AV) designed for fully driverless ride-hail operation, as part of the Lyft network in Las Vegas.
The companies said that their fully driverless service will be launched in Las Vegas next year, before expanding to other major U.S. cities. This launch in Las Vegas marks the first time members of the public will be able to eride in Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 AV.
“Motional and Lyft have a clear path to widespread commercialization of Level 4 autonomous vehicles,” said Karl Iagnemma, president and CEO of Motional, which is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv. “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 customized for driverless ride-hail operation, while maintaining the vehicle’s award-winning comfort and design.”
“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, Lyft’s CEO and co-founder. “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 personalized, 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.”
Motional and Lyft have been conducting autonomous rides in Las Vegas since 2018.
The companies noted that riders are able to easily control their ride without assistance from a driver. Riders can unlock the doors through the Lyft app and start the ride or contact customer support from the new in-car Lyft AV app, which is an in-ride display tailored to autonomous ridesharing.
The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle that can operate without a driver. The robotaxi has more than 30 sensors – a combination of cameras, radars, and lidar – that provide 360-degree perception, high-resolution images, and ultra-long range detection of objects for safe autonomous operation in diverse driving environments.
