Riders in Austin, Texas can now select an autonomous vehicle in the Lyft app to help them get around their city.
This marks the first time that a commercial autonomous service is available in Austin, Texas and marks the third city where Lyft riders can hail an autonomous ride along with Miami, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Most people’s first autonomous vehicle experience will be on a ride hailing network like Lyft. For riders in Austin, this new ride mode looks just like any other Lyft ride. Riders can hail an autonomous vehicle (a Ford self-driving car powered by Argo AI technology) directly in the Lyft app for the same price as a normal Lyft ride.
Riders will be able to control their ride without the assistance of a driver. When their vehicle arrives, the rider can unlock the doors, start their ride, and even contact customer support all from within the Lyft app.
At this time, a rider will also be accompanied by two safety operators, as Lyft says it prepares for a “fully autonomous future”.
Lyft is expanding its position beyond rideshare with a full-scale suite of transportation options that includes autonomous vehicles.
With the launch today, Lyft says it is the only company to operate a commercial autonomous vehicle rideshare service in three North American cities and adds is looking forward to bringing more autonomous vehicle rides to more cities in the near future.
