A news release announced that Lyft today announced Mono
, the world’s first wearable device to enable autonomous ride-hailing by simply raising a hand. The news release details the device that makes it almost seems real.
Sporting Lyft’s signature magenta, the sleek and lightweight device is worn comfortably on the hand and employs built-in sensors that track your movement to summon one of Lyft’s famously friendly drivers. Mono works seamlessly with the Lyft app, freeing users from their cumbersome phone screens. Just raise, request, and ride.”
“Mono is an extraordinary device that makes Lyft the only rideshare service in the world to offer autonomous ride-hailing,” said Melissa Waters, Lyft’s Head of Marketing. “Some argue that the first ever rideshare passenger was a hitchhiker — using his or her thumb to hail a ride — and Mono draws from this origin to create today’s most convenient ride-hailing experience.”
Features of the Mono include:
- Motion triggered LED lights that blink to indicate a match, increase in speed when your driver is en route, and pulse when he or she has arrived.
- BLE technology communicates wirelessly and seamlessly, allowing users to request a ride hands-free
- A micro-controller, working in conjunction with the Lyft API, reads gyroscope and accelerometer data to request a Lyft ride.
- Soft, durable neoprene maximizes flexibility for a snug fit.
San Francisco-based Lyft community members can come check out Mono at the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace today until 5 p.m. PDT. The first 100 passengers** to use the ride code MONOSF will get a free ride to the demo location.
The news release ends with:
*Happy April Fool’s Day! While we don’t have plans to sell Mono devices, it is both a real, working product, and an April Fool’s prank that we hope made people laugh. The San Francisco event is real and we invite the San Francisco community to stop by the booth until 5pm PDT.