March 1, 2022—Autonomous vehicle startup Motional last week launched a robotaxi service in Las Vegas.

According to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Motional is offering free rides to anyone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The company partnered with transit booking app Via to handle its ride scheduling interface.

Motional is using driverless BMWs for these rides and can pick up passengers at numerous locations throughout the city. A safety driver is in all vehicles in case of emergency.

“Our partnership offers a new channel for members of the public to experience safe and convenient self-driving rides, with a focus on effectively integrating Motional’s robotaxis with existing transit networks," Motional said in a statement. "We look forward to learning from this service and growing our collaboration with Via.”

Motional and Via announced their partnership in 2020 and detailed plans to expand driverless rides beyond Las Vegas. Motional also has plans in the works to remove safety drivers from their vehicles next year.

Image: Motional