Uber and Lyft to offer driverless rideshare cars

Two popular rideshare companies are now preparing to offer a new feature: Driverless taxis.

Uber and Lyft are currently training staff on how to maintain the autonomous vehicles ahead of their public launch in the coming months.

Uber customers in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, will be able to hail one of these driverless rideshare cars via the app when released.

There have been concerns about the efficacy of these Waymo driverless vehicles, with software glitches causing repeated honking in a parking lot in San Francisco last August.

In 2023, activists targeted these robotaxis with a cone campaign, disabling sensors with traffic cones to disrupt the industry.

In December, a man heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport posted a video to LinkedIn showing his Waymo vehicle going in circles due to a glitch.

Waymo told NewsNation the issue has since been fixed with a software update, and the man was only delayed for approximately five minutes.

The vehicles debuted in Los Angeles in 2023 and are something of a common sight in traffic. Customers in California and Arizona can hail a taxi via the Waymo One app.

Both Uber and Lyft are developing Robo taxi partnerships to offer driverless rides in the future and get a cut from those fares.

Tesla is expected to join the race in the future, while Amazon is testing its own driverless vehicle called Zoox.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

Topics

Delta links its loyalty program to Uber, ending partnership with Lyft

Starting this spring, Delta SkyMiles members will be able to earn loyalty points for Uber rides.
CNBC - 10h
Why Lyft Is Giving New York City Riders a Credit During January

Uber and Lyft are reacting to New York City’s congestion pricing in different ways.
Inc. - 1d
How Uber and Lyft Are Gearing Up for the Robotaxi Revolution

After ending their own driverless plans, the ride-sharing companies are embracing autonomous-vehicle operators and offering new app features.
The Wall Street Journal - 2d
Man trapped inside driverless car as it spins in circles

Mike Johns was on his way to the airport when the Waymo robotaxi began circling a parking lot non-stop
BBC News - 13h
Watch: Waymo driverless robotaxi sends airport passenger spinning in circles

He had a plane to catch — but his ride to the airport was stuck in a parking lot, driving in circles.
NBC News - 15h
US probing Teslas over driverless feature

The U.S. government is probing Tesla over a driverless feature in its electric vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA cited Tesla's "Smart ...
The Hill - 15h
Uber’s beaten-down stock is now riding higher, and these two factors explain why

Uber will buy back stock in an accelerated deal, while Wedbush has added it to its “Best Ideas List.”
MarketWatch - 1d
Hailing a Taxi or Uber Will Be More Expensive Under NYC Congestion Pricing Program

Transportation officials want to reduce the number of taxis, Ubers and Lyfts that idle in heavy traffic. To do that, they will charge riders new fees.
The New York Times - 2d
Americans more likely to embrace driverless cars, but still skeptical: Survey

Americans are more likely to embrace driverless cars but are still skeptical of them, according to a new survey from YouGov. In the survey, 35 percent of Americans said when it comes to driverless ...
The Hill - 5d