Meet the new Hyundai Robot Taxi

On this November 4th, Hyundai has put on the streets of California a totally free robot taxi service. 

With a fleet of self-contained electric vehicles, the new feature called BotRid debuted in the city of Irvine, California. Revolutionizing the means of transportation, the futuristic experience works without drivers in the car. The Hyundai Crossover is fully equipped with a system from startup AV Pony.ai. 

However, the service will not be entirely driverless: a security officer will be behind the wheel - like an engineer in the passenger seat. Customers will be able to request the ride through an app that will direct passengers to pickup and return stops. 


The system is being used to study consumer behavior in an autonomous travel sharing environment. Hyundai said BotRide is "validating its user experience in preparation for a totally driverless future." It has not yet been announced when this future without a driver can arrive. 

Whatever this driverless future, Hyundai sees this driver as a critical marker along the way.