Self-driving taxis: this is how autonomous they really are
Since August 2018, you have been able to book self-driving taxis in Las Vegas thanks to Lyft and Aptiv. Customer feedback is consistently positive. With one exception: the tip.
Lyft has already completed more than 50,000 autonomous taxi journeys in customised BMW 3 Series cars. Last summer, the specialists from San Francisco brought the idea to life and expanded their range to include self-driving taxis. The robot rides have been extremely well received by customers: 96% of those surveyed would take a ride again. What is surprising is the most frequently cited reason for complaint: it is not possible to tip via the app.
Nothing works without a chaperone
Although the taxi drives autonomously, there is always a Lyft chauffeur in the car. The so-called safety chauffeur intervenes if the computer gets out or if a journey goes beyond the known area. . To make the service possible, Aptiv, Lyft's partner specialising in autonomous driving, first had to digitally survey the Strip in Vegas. If a passenger chooses a destination outside of this zone, a driver has to drive there manually.
The attendant also helps disabled people get in and out of the car, answers passengers' safety questions and recommends hotels, casinos and restaurants. Jody Kelman, the person responsible for self-driving transport at Lyft, says: "On the first journey, passengers are constantly watching the driver's hands - they want to make sure that the driver is not actually driving the car themselves." A side note: the safety driver also unconsciously ensures that the car is clean and tidy.
Consumers are ready
Customer feedback shows that people are ready to be driven around without a driver. The average rating of autonomous Lyft taxi rides is an incredible 4.97 out of a possible 5 points. 92 per cent of all passengers stated that they never felt their safety was at risk. It goes even further: one customer has already taken 14 rides, and many also noted that this ride had changed their lives.
What really counts for Lyft and its customers: Not that it was a completely new experience, but that they arrived on time and didn't have to wait long for a taxi. Because despite autonomous driving, it is primarily about transport from A to B. What the analyses of feedback from Lyft customers also show is that they are - unsurprisingly - very reluctant to walk in their everyday lives. And: If you order a Lyft taxi in Las Vegas, you have to explicitly confirm that you want a self-driving vehicle. Customers are still hesitant in this regard: around a fifth reject the robot cars.
Onwards and upwards
Even if 20 per cent prefer a person-driven taxi, this is no reason for Lyft to stop. On the contrary: the Americans are in the process of massively expanding the service. The Automated Vehicles Symposium, the most important conference in the northern USA on self-driving vehicles and transport systems, also shows that autonomous driving is booming. The event has now reached a size that requires over 200 volunteers every year.
Despite all the excitement: Lyft and Aptiv vehicles strictly adhere to the roads calculated in advance. Traffic jams, accidents or roadworks cannot be avoided. Turning off and negotiating traffic lights and junctions without any problems is also only possible where special short-wave transmitters have been installed.
The taxis from Lyft and Aptiv may be largely autonomous on the Las Vegas Strip and a few side streets. Nevertheless, fully self-driving ridesharing services are still a distant dream of the future. This is because they are currently travelling in an extremely restricted area, in which the chauffeur also happens to be an excellent tourist guide.
What if the system is to work in a labyrinthine old town that has not yet been developed for tourism? There is still a lot to do in the field of autonomous driving.
When I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.