Hyundai to Launch Robotaxis in Las Vegas in 2023

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 23 September 2021, 01:09 pm

Hyundai, together with the autonomous vehicle company Motional, is gearing up to launch commercial robotaxis in Las Vegas by 2023.

Hyundai to Launch Robotaxi Service

According to The Verge, Motional is tripling the size of its testing facility and is doubling its operations center. The company hired more than 100 new employees this year.

The company's new testing facility will allow for four times the number of testing. It will also allow for high-stress situations like complex urban maneuvers, high speeds, light to heavy rain, and different lighting conditions.

All of these high-stress situations have been known to be a challenge on autonomous vehicles.

Also Read: Tesla Might Launch A Ride-Sharing App For Self-Driving Robotaxis As Early As 2020

The vehicle that will be tested in Motional's new facility and go through high-stress situations is Hyundai's Ioniq 5. The company has stated it will be the main vehicle for its robotaxi project.

Hyundai posted the first images of its Ioniq 5 model. It showcased the vehicle's rooftop lidar sensors and other equipment that will let it operate autonomously. Hyundai also plans to expand its fleet as soon as it is done testing its capabilities, according to TechCrunch.

Motional is preparing its autonomous vehicle software for the official launch of the commercial robotaxis in 2023. The service will begin to start in Las Vegas, and it will be accessible on Lyft's ride-hailing app.

Last year, the autonomous vehicle company sold its autonomous vehicle technology development program to Toyota for $550 million.

Hyundai and Motional's partnership with Lyft was announced in March 2020. Hyundai plans to develop businesses around autonomous vehicles, and they are willing to spend around $1.6 billion.

Meanwhile, Aptiv, a technology firm named Delphi, is also part of the venture and owns 50% of it.

The company has facilities in Singapore, Seoul, and Las Vegas, and it has recently tested its cars in Pittsburgh and Boston.

Aside from Las Vegas, Motional is also testing its autonomous vehicles in Santa Monica, California.

The engineers from Motional are responsible for the robotaxi pilot in Singapore, which is the first-ever robotaxi launch in the world. They are also responsible for the first cross-country autonomous trip from New York to San Francisco.

Over the past few years, Motional's fleet of autonomous taxis in Las Vegas has completed more than 100,000 trips.

The company had partnered with Lyft when it launched its fleet of autonomous taxis. Earlier this year, the autonomous vehicle company began testing cars without any human monitoring the movement behind the steering wheel.

Hyundai is not the only carmaker that is pushing for autonomous vehicles. Tesla is also working on launching its own robotaxi, as stated by its CEO Elon Musk.

China is also working on expanding its robotaxis, with the launch of WeRide.

Robotaxis in California

Aside from Las Vegas, California is one of the areas that automakers and tech companies are pinning after to be its testing ground for autonomous vehicles in the United States, according to Fortune.

California has never allowed tech companies to use autonomous vehicles in the state for monetary purposes.

However, last year, that changed after the state's Public Utilities Commission or CPUC approved two programs that will allow autonomous car operators to launch robotaxis.

The CPUC has been working on the rules for years now. The first program is the Driver Ed Autonomous Vehicle, while the second program is the Driverless Autonomous Vehicle Deployment.

These will allow all participants to offer services to passengers, share rides, and even accept money in exchange for rides in autonomous vehicles.