Lyft Begins Offering Driverless Robotaxis on the Las Vegas Strip (silive.com) 37
A local news report called it "a futuristic dream, now a reality in Las Vegas: self-driving vehicles moving customers up and down the Las Vegas strip." Lyft's ride-hailing service now lets customers book Motional's all-electric (and autonomous driving) IONIQ 5.
Not everyone's sold. "Love technology — love it, promote it — but we don't need to replace every human," said one person interviewed on the street. But "the digital wave continues to sweep Las Vegas," the newscast points out, with the car company's director of commercial fleet operations insisting it will ultimately make transportation more affordable, sustainable, and reliable. "We look at this as an opportunity to really show that robotaxis are the best way for people to get around," he says, noting Vegas drivers have to contend with lots of night-time driving, bright lights, unusually wide lanes and big intersections.
The city once adopted the slogan "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," and some passengers might appreciate the extra privacy of a truly driverless vehicle. Passengers "for the time being, will be accompanied by two safety drivers in the event of an error," according to news reports, but that's expected to change soon: "Motional and Lyft have a clear path to widespread commercialization of Level 4 autonomous vehicles," said Karl Iagnemma, Motional's president and CEO. "We've led the industry in commercial operations for years, and today's launch signals we're on track to deliver a fully driverless service next year...."
Upon arrival, riders who order the IONIQ 5 can unlock the doors to the vehicle using the Lyft mobile app. Once inside the vehicle, customers can start the ride or contact customer support by using the new in-car Lyft AV app [on a touchscreen for passengers]. By making these new features available now, despite the presence of the two safety drivers, Lyft hopes to solicit customer feedback and refine the new tools before the service goes fully driverless in 2023.
Lyft and Motional have been piloting autonomous rides in other vehicles in Las Vegas since 2018, with more than 100,000 autonomous rides provided thus far, over 95% of which have received five-star ratings, according to the companies. Feedback gathered on the new IONIQ 5 autonomous vehicle over the coming months will help to inform Lyft's launch of fully driverless e-hail trips in Las Vegas sometime next year.
After that, the company plans to expand the driverless, e-hail service to various other markets throughout the country.
Not everyone's sold. "Love technology — love it, promote it — but we don't need to replace every human," said one person interviewed on the street. But "the digital wave continues to sweep Las Vegas," the newscast points out, with the car company's director of commercial fleet operations insisting it will ultimately make transportation more affordable, sustainable, and reliable. "We look at this as an opportunity to really show that robotaxis are the best way for people to get around," he says, noting Vegas drivers have to contend with lots of night-time driving, bright lights, unusually wide lanes and big intersections.
The city once adopted the slogan "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," and some passengers might appreciate the extra privacy of a truly driverless vehicle. Passengers "for the time being, will be accompanied by two safety drivers in the event of an error," according to news reports, but that's expected to change soon: "Motional and Lyft have a clear path to widespread commercialization of Level 4 autonomous vehicles," said Karl Iagnemma, Motional's president and CEO. "We've led the industry in commercial operations for years, and today's launch signals we're on track to deliver a fully driverless service next year...."
Upon arrival, riders who order the IONIQ 5 can unlock the doors to the vehicle using the Lyft mobile app. Once inside the vehicle, customers can start the ride or contact customer support by using the new in-car Lyft AV app [on a touchscreen for passengers]. By making these new features available now, despite the presence of the two safety drivers, Lyft hopes to solicit customer feedback and refine the new tools before the service goes fully driverless in 2023.
Lyft and Motional have been piloting autonomous rides in other vehicles in Las Vegas since 2018, with more than 100,000 autonomous rides provided thus far, over 95% of which have received five-star ratings, according to the companies. Feedback gathered on the new IONIQ 5 autonomous vehicle over the coming months will help to inform Lyft's launch of fully driverless e-hail trips in Las Vegas sometime next year.
After that, the company plans to expand the driverless, e-hail service to various other markets throughout the country.
I can see it now (Score:2)
Johnny Cabs [youtube.com] everywhere. And not paying the fare could be dangerous [youtube.com]. Good thing the phone software knows who you are and can pay from a linked account.
get hit by one and hit the jackpot! (Score:5, Funny)
get hit by one and hit the jackpot!
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Lots of holes in the desert...
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If you don't pay, it drives you out into the middle of the desert.
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If you don't pay, it drives you out into the middle of the desert.
Yeah, can't use Lake Mead. Bodies are found too easily [cnn.com].
hell is 'round the corner (Score:2)
imagine being trapped in a wrecked, burning Hyundai. you can't get to your phone because your dominant arm is broken and your other arm is pinned in the wreckage. the door won't open because the frame was warped by the impact. your only lifeline is a cracked glass touchscreen connection to Lyft AV customer support inches from your bloodied face. the flames creep along the dash. the touchscreen beckons. you reach out with your tongue...
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It's something to keep an eye on for sure, but unemployment rates are pretty damn low. If self-driving cars put professional drivers out of work they'll be able to find other lines of work. And in general, the extra efficiency means that people overall get high quality jobs. Though it probably won't be a net benefit to those drivers [wikipedia.org].
And there is a tipping point of course, when robots are superior at almost all kinds of work and we have to transition to a UBI paradise/hellscape, but I suspect that's at least
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The point is to transition to a UBI before we're in an unescapable hellscape.
A UBI has been possible ever since we had enough wealth for everyone, there is still plenty of incentive left to work.
History repeating (Score:2)
>despite the presence of the two safety drivers,
Just like original automobiles required a person walking in front.
And so technology advances continue.
I'm looking forward to going to dinner in town, getting out of the car, and saying "park, or just drive around for 2 hours".
Also looking forward to it taking me an hour to drive 2 miles to get to my restaurant.
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will the law let them go fully driverless in 2023? (Score:2)
will the law let them go fully driverless in 2023?
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will the law let them go fully driverless in 2023?
Will the law allow Lyft to install slot machines in them? After all it is Las Vegas and those things are EVERYWHERE...or at least they used to be.
Correct me if I'm wrong... (Score:2)
Because I may well be wrong on this.
So Tesla, with it's much-ballyhooed Full Self Driving that is yet to be delivered, is falling far behind Waymo and now Lyft with their driverless cars?
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Waymo drives up and down the strip. Tesla has to figure out navigating nearly every street in America. Also, the Waymo is loaded with a lot more sensors. Tesla has sensors around the center of the vehicle, while Waymo has sensors around the edges of the vehicle, which make it better at detecting forward cross-traffic around corners.
What happens when someone passes out inside? (Score:2)
Far more likely, but still an open question: what happens when someone has an "accident", cut/bleeds, or vomits/hurls inside said robotaxi - what happens to the next passenger, and does the taxi even know?
After 8 hours in the full sun the stunning smell is going to be something else when that door cracks open...
Well, this is Las Vegas (Score:5, Insightful)
"The city once adopted the slogan "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," and some passengers might appreciate the extra privacy of a truly driverless vehicle."
Certainly it might make the Mob's job easier. Need to dispose of a body? Just call a cab!
Humans being what they are, especially when drunk - I fully expect many of these cabs will turn into unsanitary stinking metal cans very quickly.
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There will for sure be cameras filming everything you do inside. They'll make you agree to it when you activate the app.
And some people like playing before the camera. Just ask the Kardashians!
Zzzzzz.... (Score:1)
Wake me up when they get rid of the safety drivers.
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From the passenger side do I still need to tip them, and what kind of person is accepting that job.
The first time (Score:2)
Glad I have no plans to ever visit Las Vegas, then (Score:2)
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Fully self-driving cars have caused only one death, and that was back in 2016-ish because Uber cheapened out and got rid of most of their sensors. Meanwhile, last year human-driven cars murdered over 40,000 people in the USA . One million deaths by human-driven cars worldwide.
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Re: Glad I have no plans to ever visit Las Vegas, (Score:1)
No. Now fuck off fast and may you meet yourself coming the other way.
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Fully self-driving cars have caused only one death, and that was back in 2016-ish
Sure. Because they've been restricted to non-public roads for the most part, and otherwise have always had a human driver to oversee it and keep it from going on a killing spree, since it's shitty excuse for AI can't tell the difference between an inanimate object and a living being.
When the deaths, sadly, start happening, they'll be forced to pull these death machines off the streets, and the government will inevitably ban them.
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Humans should be banned from driving. Computers should do the driving.
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Read my sigline, moron. Also go get a water filter, all that tap water you've been sucking down has got your brain full of lead.