Lyft Resumes Self-Driving Test Rides

Lyft Inc. LYFT has resumed testing of its self-driving technology on public roads in California, TechCrunch reported Tuesday.

What Happened

An employee-exclusive pilot program in Palo Alto remains paused, according to TechCrunch.

The test rides conducted by its self-driving subsidiary Level 5 were temporarily halted in March due to the shelter-in-place orders enacted to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company was relying on simulation during the lockdown period as it faces intense competition in the area with Uber Technologies Ltd. UBER, Tesla Inc. TSLA, and Alphabet Inc. GOOGL GOOG subsidiary Waymo, among others.

Lyft Level 5 said it would adhere to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines during the test rides as a precaution against COVID-19.

The company in June announced it was also aiming to completely switch to all-electric vehicles for its ride-hailing business by 2030.

Price Action

Lyft shares closed 0.15% lower at $33.01 on Tuesday and were unchanged in the after-hours session.

Image: Lyft