100,000 rides made through Lyft-Aptiv robotaxi partnership in Las Vegas

Through a partnership with Lyft, Dublin-based Aptiv, an autonomous mobility firm, has provided 100,000 commercial ‘robotaxi’ rides in Las Vegas.

The partnership runs through Aptiv’s Command Center, which reportedly provides employees with real-time data, like vehicle health and diagnostics, vehicle ride status, and popular ride times and locations, which aims to help keep vehicles on the road and serving passengers efficiently.

The milestone is said to have provided key lessons for Lyft and Aptiv, which were outlined in a Lyft blog post:

• The partnership is considered a blueprint for how to successfully bring autonomous vehicles into today’s transportation ecosystem. When trying a new technology for the first time, people want to turn to a brand they know and trust, according to Lyft
• Autonomous vehicles are ready for broader adoption: The milestone is said to prove that these vehicles can play a major role in passenger transportation. The blog post read that passengers “are eager for self-driving vehicles to meet more and more of their transportation needs”. Strong partnerships with local governments and transit agencies such as Clark County, the City of Las Vegas and the Regional Transportation Commission are said to be key to the progression of the industry
• “After experiencing self-driving technology, many Lyft riders become advocates.” After their first ride, many riders reportedly selected self-driving mode for more trips
• Safety, simplicity and efficiency are integral. “Though once novelty of this new ride type wears off, people still expect the basics: An intuitive user experience, an efficient pick up and drop off, and peace of mind that they are safe,” the blog post continued.