Travellers have a new reason to check out Sin City in the new year — and it probably isn't the one that you were expecting.
Autonomous vehicle company Motional and ride-hailing service Uber have joined forces to offer the first autonomous taxi service in the United States, in Las Vegas.
Customers will be able to hail an autonomous ride with Motional’s all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5-based robotaxis in Nevada's largest city starting in 2023. It is the first time public riders have been able to access these kinds of vehicles, following a successful launch of autonomous deliveries with Uber Eats in Greater Los Angeles.
"It’s a testament to our technology and the power of our partnership with Uber that we’re able to go from concept to consumer in such a short time. Las Vegas is the first of many cities in which Motional’s AVs will become an everyday transportation option for Uber customers looking for a safe and convenient ride," said Akshay Jaising, Motional’s vice-president of commercialization.
The Las Vegas announcement follows the recent unveiling of a 10-year plan to create one of the largest deployments of autonomous vehicles on a major ride-hail network, "with the potential to reach millions of Uber riders," according to a news release.
Motional’s new all-electric IONIQ 5 robotaxis will be available on UberX and Uber Comfort Electric in select markets, contributing to Uber’s 2030 zero emissions goal.
Motional is uniquely experienced in deploying AVs for ride-hail, having operated a public robotaxi service in Las Vegas for five years. Along with Uber, the company aims to provide "affordable, convenient, and safe" robotaxi transportation for Uber riders.
Customers will visit the Uber app and "select UberX or Uber Comfort Electric options for a chance to be matched with a Motional AV," according to Motional.
"If an autonomous vehicle is available to complete the trip, Uber will match the rider to the vehicle and they will receive an offer to opt-in before the autonomous trip is confirmed and dispatched to pick them up."
The companies are working with vehicle operators to have a "fully driverless commercial service" available to the public by 2023.
