Freenow by Lyft to bring robotaxis to Hamburg
The autonomous taxi project has the full support of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, which has signed a letter of intent with Freenow by Lyft. Unlike US companies such as Waymo or Uber, Freenow by Lyft does not intend to offer robotaxis as a standalone ride-hailing service outside the regular taxi system. Instead, Lyft aims to collaborate closely with the local taxi industry in Hamburg and involve relevant businesses, as well as integrating into public transport services.
Anjes Tjarks, Hamburg’s Senator for Transport and Mobility Transition, presented the plans alongside managers from Freenow by Lyft, stating: “Autonomous taxis can make a significant contribution to improving public transport connections – particularly during off-peak hours and in areas that have been underserved until now. Hamburg is pursuing a forward-looking strategy for autonomous mobility, as well as modern on-demand and taxi services that are firmly integrated into the city’s transport system.”
Both the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and Lyft emphasise that human taxi drivers will continue to play a central role in the future. “Their expertise remains indispensable, while autonomous vehicles will strengthen the overall system and simultaneously create new jobs in maintenance, operations, and fleet management,” the joint press release states.
Timeline unknown, public transport integration planned
There is no precise timeline yet for when the test phase and subsequent commercial operation of the robotaxis will begin. Initially, Lyft plans to select suitable partners in the coming months – including providers of SAE Level 4 autonomous driving technologies and vehicle manufacturers. Once everything is prepared, a pilot operation with autonomous vehicles is set to launch in the areas of Altona-West, Hamburg-Nord, and Bergedorf, which are located on the city’s outskirts with slightly less traffic than the centre. The Freenow by Lyft service is intended to be linked with the public transport system, planning integration with key public transport hubs.
Thomas Zimmermann, CEO of Freenow by Lyft, said: “Together with the city, we are creating a clear framework for the first time to transition autonomous taxis from test operations to regular service. Freenow by Lyft brings technological, operational, and regulatory expertise to the table. Our goal is to combine innovation with responsibility and actively involve the local taxi industry from the outset.”
Freenow by Lyft’s decision to choose Hamburg for this project is no coincidence: the company originated from the Hamburg-based flagship startup MyTaxi and has its headquarters in Hamburg-Ottensen, with a direct view of the Elbe. MyTaxi, founded in 2009, was acquired by Daimler in 2014 and later integrated into Freenow, the joint mobility brand of BMW and Daimler, in 2018. Last year, Freenow was acquired by the US company Lyft, a rival of Uber. Since then, the app has been rebranded as Freenow by Lyft.
Lyft already cooperating with Apollo Go
In August, Lyft announced its plans to deploy robotaxis from Apollo Go in Europe starting this year, a brand of the Chinese digital conglomerate Baidu. The initial target markets are Germany and the UK. However, it remains unclear whether these vehicles, designated Apollo Go RT6, will be used in Hamburg.
Hamburg is currently positioning itself as a real-world laboratory for autonomous transport services. The Freenow by Lyft initiative is already the third major project in this segment. It has long been known that the ALIKE project by Hamburger Hochbahn, Moia, Holon, and Volkswagen, as well as the Ahoi project by VHH, IAV, and eVersum, aim to bring autonomous electric shuttles to Hamburg’s streets.
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