RSG264: Should Rideshare Drivers be Worried About Autonomous Vehicles?

In RSG264, I speak with Jeremy Bird, Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft, to learn his vision of the future of rideshare with autonomous vehicles while prioritizing driver support and economic mobility.

Quick Takeaways

• Lyft sees autonomous vehicles (AVs) as part of a hybrid future, not a total replacement for human drivers.

• The presence of AVs like Waymo in cities like San Francisco hasn't reduced driver hours—driver growth continues alongside AV expansion.

• Jeremy emphasizes the importance of growing the pie, not dividing it. AVs can serve less desirable rides like short city trips, freeing up more profitable trips for human drivers.

• Optionality is key: riders will be able to choose between AVs and human drivers depending on their preferences.

• In the future, drivers may own AVs themselves, turning them into passive income vehicles, though affordability and access are current barriers

• Lyft is exploring retrofit partnerships to help existing drivers transition into AV ownership as the tech evolves.

• AVs aren’t a threat right now for most markets, and Lyft is committed to listening to drivers and supporting economic mobility.

• Jeremy encourages drivers to see themselves as entrepreneurs, with future opportunities to profit from automation rather than be replaced by it.

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