GM and Lyft Plan to Test Self-Driving Taxis in 2017
General Motors and Lyft have announced plans to roll out a fleet of self-driving taxis in an unidentified urban area in 2017. The plan, part of ongoing tests of GM’s automated driving technology, is the culmination of GM’s $500 million dollar investment in Lyft and $1 billion dollar acquisition of Cruise Automation Inc., a San Francisco based automated-driving technology developer. Lyft users will have the option of opting in to receive an automated vehicle when they request a ride through the application. Each test vehicle will still have a driver behind the wheel to take control in the event of emergencies, with plans to phase out drivers as the technology improves and regulatory hurdles are overcome. The test vehicles will be modified versions of the 2017 Chevy Bolt, an all-electric vehicle being developed by GM.
