Lyft will officially launch teen accounts, CNBC reported on Feb. 9. CEO David Risher said Lyft delayed the rollout because it put safety first. He said it will offer differentiated services that strengthen communication between parents and drivers.
The program targets passengers aged 13 to 17 and provides safety measures including PIN verification, real-time tracking and recording features. Drivers who can take teen passengers must maintain high ratings and must not have a history of being blocked by multiple riders. Lyft rival Uber introduced teen accounts in May 2023 and has expanded the service to more than 50 countries.
Lyft is also moving quickly in the autonomous driving market. Last year it acquired the European taxi app Free Now for about $200 million. Waymo, meanwhile, introduced an autonomous driving account for teen passengers last year and is expanding services in major U.S. cities.
Lyft is developing a Tensor robocar in cooperation with Mobileye and is targeting a 2027 service launch.
Chi-gyu Hwang
delight@d-today.co.kr