Lyft said it plans to offer driverless vehicles on its platform "as soon as this summer,” and that it sees human drivers transitioning to other work such as fleet management as autonomous rides become more ubiquitous.
The company has been spending more time pitching its vision for the future of its gig-economy business model as it plays catch-up in offering autonomous rides. Driverless ride-hailing has become more commonplace in some key U.S. markets through competing platforms. Like rival Uber Technologies, Lyft envisions a hybrid future where human drivers will complement autonomous vehicle fleets, especially during periods of peak demand.
The autonomous-vehicle economy will create new jobs such as remote vehicle support, fleet management, and map data labeling and validation, said Jeremy Bird, Lyft’s executive vice president in charge of driver experience, said Thursday in a blog post. He also confirmed the driverless service could begin as early as this summer. The company had previously committed to a launch sometime in 2025.
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