GA Gets A 'Lyft' With Robotaxi Debut

MIDTOWN, GA — Partnering with May Mobility, Lyft on Wednesday announced that Georgia is home to its new autonomous vehicles.

Lyft said this marks a first for the popular rideshare company, which serviced 24.4 million riders quarterly in 2024 in North America. The service is available in 806 cities across the U.S. and Canada.

The company is debuting its autonomous vehicle pilot program in Midtown and surrounding areas.

The program features May Mobility’s hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna vehicles, Lyft said in a news release. In coming months, Lyft said it plans to lengthen vehicle availability and service hours.

“We’ll start in the single digits of cars, move up to dozens, and over time to hundreds and thousands,” Jeremy Bird, Lyft’s executive vice president of driver experience told Reuters.

The new service is a fresh competitor for Waymo and Uber, which currently operates robotaxies through the Uber app in the City of Atlanta.

Riding In The Robotaxi

To hail one of Lyft's retrofitted robotaxies, users would need to request either a standard or Wait and Save ride through the Lyft app. Pickups and drop-offs must be located around the Midtown area.

Matching with one of the available vehicles will be at no extra cost to the customer, Lyft said. Rides can be accepted or declined.

In the initial phase, operators will be present in the vehicles in case they need to take over the ride or answer questions from riders, Lyft said.

"This isn't just another tech rollout—it's a thoughtful introduction to autonomous transportation that prioritizes rider comfort and community trust, taking a measured approach that puts people first," Lyft said in the release.

The company later added: "It's autonomous driving with a human touch—showing that the future of transportation doesn't have to sacrifice quality, safety or personal service for innovation."

May Mobility has created a decision-making system that can monitor and guide vehicles, Lyft said.

Analysts have used the platform to examine tons of possible scenarios and their outcomes while working to choose real-time safe options through human-like reasoning, Lyft said.

"As Atlanta residents begin experiencing autonomous rides, they're not just testing new technology—they're helping shape the future of urban mobility. The success of this partnership could influence how autonomous vehicles are deployed across the Southeast and beyond, making Atlanta the proving ground for responsible AV innovation," Lyft said in the release.