Skip to main content

GM just joined forces with Lyft in a major way

lyft self driving cars california glowstache
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Transportation industry, get ready for some major disruption. To celebrate the new year, General Motors has just invested $500 million in Lyft, and the two firms are planning to create an “integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the U.S.” The result is that you’ll soon have a whole new fleet of autonomous taxis driving about town, all at your beck and call.

In a joint announcement Monday morning, the automotive manufacturer and transportation company outlined a number of strategic goals expected to come from their “long term strategic alliance,” including this self-driving network, a rental hub, connectivity in the form of OnStar services, and joint mobility offerings.

Recommended Videos

GM will join Lyft’s board of directors as part of the new partnership, and looks to be moving beyond its traditional role in the car industry. In addition to its financial support, GM is also granting Lyft access to short-term use vehicles by way of rental hubs throughout the U.S., and will provide Lyft drivers access to both their extensive network of cars and their OnStar services. These functions, GM believes, will “create a richer ride-sharing experience for both driver and passenger.”

Reflecting a clear recognition of the industry’s evolution, GM’s decision to partner with Lyft marks a shift from the one-car-per-person model. By adapting to the sharing economy, GM may be ensuring that it remains relevant in years to come.

“We see the future of personal mobility as connected, seamless, and autonomous,” said GM President Dan Ammann. “With GM and Lyft working together, we believe we can successfully implement this vision more rapidly.”

There’s no word yet as to when we can expect to see the Lyft + GM autonomous vehicles on the road yet, but it certainly gives much larger rival Uber something to think about as it continues to pursue its own self-driving technology.

“Working with GM, Lyft will continue to unlock new transportation experiences that bring positive change to our daily lives,” said John Zimmer, president and co-founder of Lyft. “Together we will build a better future by redefining traditional car ownership.”

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Cruise robocars make a cautious return to Houston
A Cruise autonomous car.

Robotaxi specialist Cruise is restarting tests of its autonomous vehicles on the streets of Houston, TechCrunch reported on Tuesday.

Cruise’s main backer, General Motors, said on the same day that it’s investing a further $850 million in the robotaxi project.

Read more
Waymo robotaxi attacked and set on fire in San Francisco
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV

A Waymo self-driving car was set upon by vandals in San Francisco on Saturday evening.

According to footage and eyewitness reports of the incident, the attackers graffitied the car before smashing its windows and throwing fireworks inside. The vehicle then caught fire and burned before fire crews arrived to extinguish the blaze.

Read more
Beleaguered robotaxi startup Cruise lays off quarter of workforce
A Cruise autonomous car.

Beleaguered autonomous car startup Cruise has laid off 900 workers, equal to about a quarter of its workforce. The news comes a day after nine executives were also dismissed.

The General Motors-backed firm has suffered a series of setbacks in recent months, triggered by an accident on the streets of San Francisco in October when one of its self-driving cars came to a halt on top of a woman, pinning her to the ground just moments after she’d been hit by a human-driven car.

Read more