Lyft is preparing to introduce autonomous vehicles in its rideshare fleet, starting in Dallas by 2026, according to CEO David Risher, who shared the announcement on X.
The company plans to collaborate with Japanese conglomerate Marubeni, which will own and operate the fleet equipped with Mobileye Drive technology. This partnership builds upon an earlier agreement Lyft announced with Mobileye Drive in November.
Expansion Plans in the Works
While Dallas is the first city slated to feature these autonomous rides, Lyft confirmed via email to USA TODAY that it aims to expand the service to additional cities. However, specific locations or timelines for the rollout have not yet been disclosed.
Once the service becomes available, Lyft app users will have the option to select an autonomous vehicle for their trips. This marks a significant step for the rideshare company as it looks to integrate cutting-edge autonomous driving technology into its platform.
Talks with Car Manufacturers Continue
Although Lyft has yet to announce a definitive car manufacturing partner for the autonomous fleet, Jeremy Bird, the company’s Executive Vice President of Driver Experience, noted that discussions are ongoing with a variety of carmakers.
“Mobileye’s got the technology and the relationship with the OEMs, and we have the platform, so it’s the ownership of the fleet that’s the big missing piece,” Bird explained in an interview with TechCrunch, which first broke the news. Mobileye played a pivotal role in brokering the deal between Lyft and Marubeni, leveraging its own tech expertise and industry connections.
Keep an eye out for updates as Lyft expands its autonomous operations to more cities in the near future!
Source: USA Today
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