BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Motional, a
global leader in driverless technology, and Lyft (Nasdaq: LYFT)
today announce plans to launch a multimarket robotaxi service in
major US cities, beginning in 2023. Motional's next
generation, fully-driverless vehicles will be integrated,
operationalized, and deployed on the Lyft network.
This agreement marks the largest robotaxi deployment partnership
for a major ridesharing network. It follows an ongoing and
successful three-year partnership, in which Motional and Lyft
operate the world's longest-standing commercial
robotaxi service in Las
Vegas.
Motional and Lyft Pave the Path to Market for
Robotaxis
Following years of successful experience operating a
self-driving fleet, the partners are joining forces to create a
clear, scalable path to market for robotaxis. The agreement
is a quantum leap for the partnership: the new vehicles will be
fully driverless, the fleet size will grow significantly, and the
service will have the potential to scale widely.
Motional will deliver state-of-the-art, next-generation
robotaxis, based on a Hyundai vehicle platform, integrated with
sensors, computers, and software to enable fully-driverless
operation and remote vehicle assistance. Lyft will power the
rideshare network and customer experience. The two companies
will collaborate closely to ensure seamless integration of the new
vehicles onto the Lyft platform, and share responsibility for fleet
operations. The services will begin rolling out in 2023, with
foundations laid for further expansion across the Lyft
network. Launch markets will be announced at a later
date.
"This agreement is a testament to our global leadership in
driverless technology. We're at the frontier of transportation
innovation, moving robotaxis from research to road," commented
Karl Iagnemma, President and CEO,
Motional. "Our aim is to not only build safe, reliable, and
accessible driverless vehicles, but to deliver them at significant
scale. We're partnering with Lyft to do exactly that."
"We're thrilled to have reached this milestone laying the
groundwork for Motional's driverless vehicles deploying on the Lyft
network," said Raj Kapoor, Lyft CSO and head of business,
self-driving. "This first-of-its-kind agreement is a
testament to our collaborative approach for scaling self-driving
vehicles in cities."
The Partnership's Unparalleled Experience
Motional and Lyft's partnership began as a self-driving pilot in
Las Vegas, one of the world's
first. The partners have operated a public,
revenue-generating robotaxi fleet for nearly three years, gaining
unparalleled experience in integrating autonomous cars and
ridesharing networks, operating a commercial robotaxi service at
scale, and building consumer trust in self-driving cars.
The service has now delivered well over 100,000 rides, with 98%
of passengers awarding their rides a five-star rating. The
program's success has provided ample validation of consumer demand
for self-driving ridesharing services, Motional's driverless
capabilities, and Lyft's user experience.
The agreement follows Motional's recently announced plans to go
fully-driverless on public roads. It also marks the next
phase in Motional and Lyft's partnership -- an industry-shaping
undertaking that will significantly increase the availability of
robotaxis for the general public. The companies are one step
closer to making driverless vehicles a safe, reliable, and
accessible reality.
Visit www.Motional.com and https://self-driving.lyft.com/ for
more information.
About Motional
Motional is a driverless technology company making self-driving
vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality.
The Motional team was behind some of the industry's largest
leaps forward, including the first fully-autonomous cross-country
drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot,
and operation of the world's most-established public robotaxi
fleet.
Motional is a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group,
one of the world's largest vehicle manufacturers offering smart
mobility solutions, and Aptiv, a global technology leader in
advanced safety, electrification, and vehicle connectivity.
Headquartered in Boston, Motional has operations in the U.S
and Asia. For more information,
visit www.Motional.com and follow us
on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram,
and YouTube.
About Lyft
Lyft was founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John
Zimmer to improve people's lives with the world's best
transportation, and is available to 95 percent of the United
States population as well as select cities in Canada. As
the world shifts away from car ownership, Lyft is at the forefront
of this massive societal change. Lyft is committed to effecting
positive change for our cities and making cities more livable for
everyone through initiatives that bridge transportation gaps, and
by promoting transportation equity through shared rides, bikeshare
systems, electric scooters, and public transit partnerships. We are
singularly driven by our mission: to improve people's lives with
the world's best transportation.
Media Contact:
Sara Krypel
MotionalPress@teamlewis.com
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SOURCE Motional