Overview
When we watched The Fifth Element almost 20 years ago (yes, it's been almost 20 whole years), we didn't dare imagine that we could have Bruce Willis' flying car with autopilot mode. Thankfully, we're not quite at the flying car stage in history, but self-driving cars are most definitely a thing. Still can't imagine getting in a car without a driver? You better get used to the fact — and fast. US ridesharing company Lyft (a major competitor to Uber in the States) is teaming up with General Motors to test out self-driving cabs. On real life customers.
The trial doesn't have a confirmed location yet, but it will be offered as an option to punters in one of the cities Lyft services sometime in 2017. According to The Wall Street Journal, customers will have the opportunity to choose a self-driving or human-driving car when ordering one from the Lyft app. The app will also allow passengers to contact customer support if something goes wrong, and to tell the car when to go and when it can leave after they've reached their destination.
The partnership comes after GM invested a cool $500 million in Lyft a few months ago, and it signals the entry of driverless cars into the mainstream. They'll be testing out their self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis in the trial — the first time they'll be placed on public roads. Watch out, world.