Travelers using the ride-hailing app Lyft can now choose to call a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle for their trips within the city of Nashville, with broader availability set to grow in the weeks ahead, Lyft said today.
The move marks the first market where Waymo vehicles are available across both the Waymo and Lyft apps. Riders requesting a Standard, Priority Pickup, Wait & Save, or Extra Comfort ride within central Nashville will begin to be matched with a Waymo vehicle at no additional cost through the Lyft app.
The driverless cars are supported by a Lyft subsidiary called Flexdrive, which provides fleet management services for Waymo in Nashville, as well as for Lyft drivers nationwide. Flexdrive will open a purpose-built, 80,000-square-foot depot in Nashville in October.
According to San Francisco-based Lyft, riders can always decline an autonomous ride or opt out of them entirely. Human drivers will continue to serve riders throughout and around the service area, creating a hybrid network of human-driven and autonomously driven vehicles.
Even as the company increases its use of autonomous vehicles, it says it is planning for a “human-centered autonomous future,” saying it continues to see autonomous vehicles as a supporting layer to the existing community of drivers. “Nashville is a hub for travelers, event goers, and visitors, and our drivers here deliver a level of hospitality and service I’m incredibly proud of,” said Yuko Yamazaki, Head of Driver at Lyft. “Demand in this city keeps climbing, and I believe we’re strongest in serving more riders when autonomous vehicles and human drivers grow side by side.”
