Lyft to offer AV service for blind riders

Lyft has joined forces with Aptiv and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to bring self-driving technology to its blind and low-vision riders in Las Vegas. The deal extends an agreement last year, in which Aptiv launched 30 autonomous vehicles (AVs) to pick up riders using Lyft’s app. NFB president Mark Riccobono says: “This demonstration will allow future blind drivers to experience and begin providing feedback about this technology, paving the way for the development of a non-visual user in
July 23, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Lyft has joined forces with Aptiv and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to bring self-driving technology to its blind and low-vision riders in Las Vegas.

The deal extends an %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external agreement false https://www.itsinternational.com/categories/utc/news/aptiv-to-deploy-avs-in-las-vegas-on-the-lyft-network/ false false%> last year, in which Aptiv launched 30 autonomous vehicles (AVs) to pick up riders using Lyft’s app.

NFB president Mark Riccobono says: “This demonstration will allow future blind drivers to experience and begin providing feedback about this technology, paving the way for the development of a non-visual user interface and other inclusive design elements.”

Lyft worked with non-profit organisation Lighthouse for Blind and Visually Impaired to create Braille guides for riders and a Braille map for the self-driving route as well as a diagram of Aptiv’s AVs.

Braille is a system of raised dots which can be read by the fingers of people who are blind or who have low vision.

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