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 %$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.