Lyft is making hardware now.
All Lyft cars will soon come equipped with a connected, color-changing amp meant to help drivers communicate with passengers.
SEE ALSO:Uber and Lyft are finally legal in Philadelphia“With the introduction of Amp comes the retirement of Lyft’s beloved pink mustache, which has evolved from the fuzzy Carstache on car grilles, to the sleek Glowstache dashboard ornament,” Lyft Head of Ride Experience Ethan Eyler said. “Both paved the way for Amp, which will sit on dashboards, illuminating the streets with an iconic glow while better connecting drivers and passengers.”
The amp will change color to help a rider find the right driver with the coordinating color on the street. Lyft will also change the colors of its fleet of amps for holidays or to blue and orange for a Knicks win in New York.
On the side of the device facing the passenger in the car, it will display text with the rider's name to ensure the passenger is in the right car. Down the line, the text could take on other uses like helping a hearing-impaired driver communicate with passengers, Eyler said.
The device will also send some messages from Lyft HQ to its drivers, like if they've reached a certain milestone with the ride-sharing company.
"We wanted to design a device that was so useful to them that if they left it at home, they'd go back and get it," Eyler said of Lyft's drivers.
The hardware project has been in the works for the past year-and-a-half. It's not quite self-driving cars, but it's still a move for Lyft into the hardware business.
The amps will debut on New Year's Eve in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. The rest of Lyft's fleet is expected to get them by mid-2017. All new Lyft drivers will receive amps when they sign up.
Lyft is launching a national ad campaign along with its amps, so expect to see more Lyft on TV.
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