Motional to Commercialize Fully Autonomous Robo-Taxis in Las Vegas in 2023

Expansion of Pilot Service in the Second Half of Next Year Ahead of Commercialization

Motional announced that the Ioniq 5-based autonomous taxi, jointly developed by Hyundai Motor Group and Motional, will be commercialized in Las Vegas, USA, starting in 2023.

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and U.S. autonomous driving technology company Aptiv, and ride-sharing company Lyft announced on the 9th (local time) that they will start a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Las Vegas, USA, from 2023.

Motional stated in a press release that it plans to commercialize fully autonomous robo-taxis by supplying autonomous vehicles based on Hyundai's dedicated electric vehicle Ioniq 5, and operating them within Lyft's service network.

The two companies explained that before the full-scale commercialization of robo-taxis in 2023, they plan to expand pilot services in the second half of next year to gauge passenger responses.

They had already announced last year plans to start commercial robo-taxi services in several U.S. cities from 2023. In March, Motional revealed that Hyundai's electric vehicle Ioniq 5 will serve as the vehicle platform for the next-generation robo-taxi.

The Ioniq 5 robo-taxi, first unveiled in person at the motor show 'IAA Mobility 2021,' is equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology based on the U.S. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards, enabling fully unmanned autonomous driving.

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