Lyft has reached a new milestone by launching its first commercial robotaxi service in Nashville, integrating Waymo driverless vehicles into its app. Under this partnership, Lyft's wholly owned subsidiary, Flexdrive, is responsible for fleet services, including vehicle readiness, maintenance, infrastructure, and depot operations.
Customers in Nashville can now hail a Waymo robotaxi directly through the Waymo app or via the Lyft app, with matches depending on availability. This move represents Lyft's initial entry into commercial robotaxi services that operate without a human safety driver behind the wheel.
Jeremy Bird, Lyft's executive vice president of growth, indicated that the company entered 2026 focused on its partnerships with Waymo in Nashville and Baidu in London, where commercial service has not yet launched. Bird stated that 2027 is expected to be a significant year for Lyft, with plans for more diversification and expansion of its autonomous vehicle partnerships, particularly in international markets.