Lyft and May Mobility have launched an autonomous vehicle (AV) pilot in Atlanta, Georgia. The first public autonomous vehicle deployment for the partnership will launch as a pilot with plans to expand service hours and vehicle availability in the months ahead.
The autonomous vehicles will operate around the Midtown area, including Virginia Highlands, Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park. The fleet consists of hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS vehicles equipped with May Mobility’s Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology, which provides active monitoring, vehicle guidance and predictive capabilities.
“We’re bringing the future of transportation with May Mobility to Atlanta while staying true to our core mission – connecting people and communities,” said Jeremy Bird, executive vice president for driver experience at Lyft. “Our human-centered approach to autonomous vehicles is giving Atlanta riders access to tomorrow’s mobility today – with the same safety and community focus that defines Lyft, and the proven technology from May Mobility.”
Rider centric
The companies say they have prioritized rider comfort and confidence through the provision of certain controls and features, such as access to temperature controls during their ride. In line with May Mobility’s standard approach to autonomous vehicle launches, the initial deployments include a standby operator present in each vehicle to assist the AV in certain circumstances and help acclimate riders to autonomous driving technology.
Standby operators are fully trained to take the wheel and drive manually during initial trips, as needed. They will also answer questions and monitor vehicle operations to prioritize a safe and comfortable ride before eventually transitioning the service to driverless operations.
“Our launch with Lyft marks a pivotal moment in the AV industry as we work together to bring driverless operations to Atlanta as part of our goal to deploy more AVs onto the platform over the coming years,” said Edwin Olson, CEO and founder of May Mobility. “AVs are a real solution to the many mobility challenges people face today, and it won’t be long before anybody can get anywhere in a May Mobility AV.”
Regional plans
With more than US$90bn expected to be invested in transportation improvement and mobility projects across the region by 2040, the AV deployment is part of Atlanta’s comprehensive transportation transformation.
“Georgia represents an ideal market for autonomous vehicle technology,” said Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth), chairman of the House Insurance Rate Study Committee. “This partnership demonstrates how innovative companies can work together to enhance transportation options while maintaining community trust and safety as top priorities.”
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