U.S.-based company Motional and taxi aggregator Lyft have joined efforts to launch a network of self-driving taxis in Las Vegas, with a fleet largely based on Ioniq 5 SUVs.
Motional – a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group and vehicle vendor Aptiv – has been testing autonomous cabs in Las Vegas for four years now, and has helped over 100,000 passengers reach their destinations.
The current fleet is mainly composed of BMW 5-Series sedans, but a switch to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is planned for the next year. The electric SUVs should hit the streets in the second half of 2022. Customer feedback will determine how they will be improved.
The robotic taxi comes equipped with more than 30 sensing devices for orientation, including cameras, radars and lidars. A driver is always present behind the steering wheel for emergencies, but the company believes it can achieve true autonomy and only maintain a small staff of remote operators for any unforeseen events.