#safety-drivers

#safety-drivers

For more than a decade, autonomous buses have been "almost ready." Demonstrations with safety drivers began around 2015, and ten years later, this is still largely what we see. The reason is not a lack of ambition - it is physics, safety, and economics. Autonomous buses on city streets are inherently difficult. They carry dozens of passengers, operate as heavy vehicles, and move through a chaotic urban environment.

Lyft is teaming up with May Mobility, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that is backed by Toyota and BMW. The fleet is comprised of Toyota Sienna minivans equipped with sensors like cameras, radar, and lidar. The vehicles will operate on both city and suburban streets around Midtown Atlanta in a service area that is approximately 7 square-miles. Lyft customers who request rides within the service area will be given the option to match with a May Mobility autonomous vehicle if they choose.