Oct 30, 2020 - Technology
Knitting robotaxis into public transit
- Joann Muller, author of Axios What's Next

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
Autonomous vehicle fleets won't likely replace buses and trains in major cities, but two mobility tech firms are exploring how self-driving taxis might improve access to public transit systems.
What's happening: Self-driving tech company Motional (a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv) this week announced a partnership with Via that the companies say will serve as a blueprint for an on-demand, shared robotaxi service.
- Via’s software enables cities and transit agencies to offer shared, on-demand rides, sometimes in place of underutilized bus routes or to help people in underserved areas reach mass transit stations — a service known as micro mobility.
- Under the new partnership, Via’s ride-sharing app would include Motional's self-driving vehicles, alongside public transit information.
- The service is expected to launch in the first half of 2021, in one of Motional's existing AV test markets, which include Las Vegas and Boston.