Lyft Is Now Offering Self-Driving Car Trips In Boston
Ride-hailing company Lyft has now authorized, sending in their self-driving cars to pick up passengers in the Boston neighborhood. The cars will be maneuvered with the help of a backup human drivers at the wheel and will be limited to short routes within the city’s Seaport District, a burgeoning tech startup hub.
Lyft and its Boston-based partner nuTonomy, which builds self-driving software, announced Wednesday that the pilot project has begun. Boston city officials approved the pilot in October and say they hope to gain insight into how people interact with shared autonomous vehicles that could eventually complement the city’s public transit system.
Lyft hasn’t disclosed how many autonomous cars it will be running in the neighborhood per day. It’s a big moment for Lyft, which has seen its star rise this year as its main rival Uber was beset by numerous self-inflicted scandals.