Lyft, Aptiv celebrate 5,000 self-driving rides in Las Vegas
Next time you're in Sin City, consider shuffling between casinos with the help of autonomy.
At CES earlier this year, I took a ride in Aptiv's self-driving car, which now operates on the Lyft network, and I called it boring -- but the best kind of boring. It appears many other riders have enjoyed the bore, as well.
Lyft announced on Tuesday that its riders have completed 5,000 rides in Aptiv's self-driving fleet in Las Vegas. The scheme, which was previewed at CES, allows regular Lyft users to hail a self-driving car for quick trips between Vegas hotspots. A safety driver ensures everything is up to snuff, but the car pretty much pilots itself without issue, navigating around traffic with ease.
The ride-hailing company had a few stats to share, too. According to its data, the average passenger rating for Aptiv's autonomous BMW is a perfect 5-star rating. 96 percent of passengers said they'd be willing to take another autonomous ride through Las Vegas, and 20 percent of riders have already taken multiple trips. Riders commented on how well the technology worked, too.
There are currently about 30 self-driving vehicles roaming the streets of Las Vegas on the Lyft network. These BMW 5 Series sedans are loaded with lidar, ultrasonic sensors and other tech required to operate autonomously. Calling one is as easy as selecting the self-driving option in Lyft's app, provided you're within its area of operation. The rider gets a tablet in the back that tracks the ride, while the BMW's infotainment screen has been tweaked to allow riders to get an idea of what the car's sensors "see" on the road ahead.