Lyft prepares for self-driving cars arriving sooner than expected

Lyft CEO David Risher has stated that the company is not planning to introduce self-driving cars to its services at present, but is keeping an eye on the technology for future use. Risher has recently announced the company's layoffs and new features, including the ability for passengers to order a ride upon landing at an airport. The feature, currently available in Los Angeles and Chicago with plans to expand to more locations, uses the app's knowledge of a given airport and sends a driver at the perfect time so riders and drivers don't have to wait as long. Risher has also stated that Lyft does not need to compete with Uber to be successful, but rather wants to provide a better experience for their users. He believes that consumers benefit from the competition between the companies and encourages riders to have both apps on their phone to have a choice. While the technology for self-driving cars is expanding across the globe, companies actively using them for rideshare services are still limited, and Lyft is preparing itself as the technology advances. Risher has stated that the technology for self-driving cars is not going to be available tomorrow, but it might come over the next couple of years a little faster than people think. Lyft is doing everything it can to make sure it's ready for autonomous when it comes.