In recent months, the bulk of news regarding self-driving cars within the ridesharing sector has related to Uber. This is not to say, however, that the press has been positive. After suffering negative publicity for the first self-driving car fatality in March of 2018, Uber’s self-driving coverage has been far from entirely positive.
Amid this increases scrutiny over self-driving cars, opinion polls have been released demonstrating Americans have a general distrust over this new technology. Even so, this has not stopped Uber or Lyft from attempting to grow their self-driving capabilities. For its part, Lyft launched its own self-driving service in January of 2018.
Mere months after this program launched in Las Vegas, Lyft has completed more than 5,000 self-driving rides from the company’s ride-hailing app, according to recent reports. As Uber has, in some respects, slowed its ambitions in the self-driving sector since March (Uber suspended self-driving testing for a time after the fatal accident in Tempe), Lyft has quietly continued expanding its self-driving capabilities.
Lyft Partnered With Aptiv for Paid Trips
It is clear that Lyft has entered the self-driving competition at a relatively late date, but their partnership with Aptiv proves that customers are willing to pay for rides from autonomous vehicles. The rides, which were conducted in Las Vegas, were the same price as rides provided by human drivers.
The partnership between Lyft and auto parts supplier Aptive is one of note, particularly since it is Lyft’s first of several partnerships that culminated in public rides. Most interesting, however, is that this partnership is the first within the self-driving and ride-hailing sectors that has resulted in making money for the companies.
Despite Waymo and Uber’s significant infrastructure and investment into self-driving, Lyft and Aptiv’s partnership is the first to prove people are willing to pay for self-driving transportation. This is a significant finding, especially in light of the aforementioned negative public opinion surrounding self-driving cars.
After high-profile safety incidents involving the likes of Uber and Tesla, less than half of Americans surveyed in a Cox Automotive study believe roads would be safer if all vehicles were autonomous. While it is clear that these companies have work to do in order to gain public trust in self-driving cars, it is equally clear that these companies are committed to growing their position within this highly competitive industry.
As more self-driving cars take the road, it is an inescapable fact that more car accident victims will be involved in collisions with an autonomous vehicle.
Talk to a Lyft Accident Attorney at Ledger Law
If you or a loved one has been injured in a self-driving car accident involving Lyft, a Lyft accident lawyer at The Ledger Law Firm is ready to discuss your legal claim and right to compensation. Our team of nationally recognized Lyft ridesharing attorneys have helped accident victims recover the compensation that is owed to them because of a legally responsible party’s negligence.
Contact us online today for a free case evaluation to discuss the facts of your accident with a self-driving Lyft accident lawyer at Ledger Law.
