During our AutoTech Effect Episode with Lyft, we spoke with Elena Ciccotelli, Automotive Partnerships Manager, to discuss how the impact of technology and integration can lead to better business solutions.

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What is Lyft?

Lyft is a ridesharing app that connects passengers to drivers. Ciccotelli shares she was with Lyft when they built out their automotive vertical with B2B solutions, known as Lyft Business. Her goal is to help automotive retail and automotive-adjacent tech companies reach last-mile transportation solutions.

What is the significance of last-mile business solutions? 

According to Ciccotelli, last-mile business solutions connect the pieces between what a business needs for their people to where their people need to go. For instance, Lyft is not only in the automotive sector, but also in healthcare, retail, hospitality, business, and government. A company may utilize Lyft’s API to create a program to request a ride. These last-mile solutions help with employee retention and provide benefits for employees.

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How does Lyft’s tech integration impact consumers?

Ciccotelli discusses the multitude of benefits that tech integration brings to consumers. Lyft has partnered with many roadside assistance and auto transport companies to allow seamless and simple services without the expensing nightmare of traditional rideshare coordination. Instead, reporting is housed in an enterprise-level platform that provides data to measure cost-effectiveness. She also shares that having controls at enterprise-level businesses, such as limitations or ride caps, optimizes the program by solving problems while staying cost-effective.

How is Lyft’s network being built out?

Ciccotelli spoke on innovating and investing heavily in the driver community, particularly on the electronic-vehicle (EV) side. Converting rideshare vehicles from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE) to EVs, reduces emissions and total cost of ownership, which is a win for drivers. Making these connections and side gigs more lucrative to drivers results in further investment in drivers. Although these business solutions are not yet available outside of the U.S., there are plans to roll out these initiatives across all of North America.