Uber has announced the launch of self-driving taxis in Las Vegas.
Per a press release shared on Wednesday, the ride-hailing service has teamed up with driverless technology company Motional to launch their very first automated cars in the city. Individuals who request a ride in Las Vegas will be offered an autonomous vehicle if available, which is a modified Hyundai Ioniq 5 mid-sized hatchback. The cars are sent with two “vehicle operators,” who will be present to safely monitor the tech and provide support for any customers.
While they’re only available in Las Vegas for now, Uber said it plans to launch the Motional-developed technology in more cities next year. Uber and Motional are currently in a 10-year commercial partnership, with more immediate plans to expand autonomous ride-hail and deliveries in Los Angeles. The company previously partnered with Lyft to offer robotaxi services in Las Vegas.
"Motional has proven themselves to be an industry leader, steadily and safely progressing autonomous technology towards a driverless future," added Noah Zych, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery at Uber. "We're thrilled to take this next step together in Las Vegas, and look forward to continuing to integrate autonomous technologies into the Uber network to grow our business by providing customers with additional reliable, affordable, and effortless transportation and delivery options."
Back in 2018, as reported by CNN, a self-driving Uber SUV struck and killed a 49-year-old woman as she walked across a street in Tempe, Arizona. An Uber test driver was behind the wheel at the time of the accident, and was there to intervene with the vehicle’s controls if necessary. However, she was watching something on her phone at the time of the crash, authorities said.
