Google lyft

Can bet that it won't be cheap. The new financing could help to fund the project. There have also been reports pointing to Lyft finally embarking on an international expansion, starting in Canada. The company expanded rapidly during 2017 — but only in the U.S.A. With new funding, a higher valuation, and a Google stamp of approval, Lyft could be even more ready to branch out beyond America. Mashable Light Speed 2. Google's plans for Waymo self-driving taxisCapitalG's connection to Google raises questions about Waymo's position within the ride-hailing landscape, though, especially because the former Google X self-driving car project has a partnership with Lyft already. One of Waymo's goals is to create an advanced deployment system for its fleet of driverless cars, which is exactly what Lyft promises with its open autonomous system. Waymo is one of a handful of companies in the US running a public self-driving passenger pilot. Waymo has no ride-hailing service, though, so the benefits of partnering with Lyft are obvious.Alphabet's Lyft investment shows that the biggest companies in the self-driving space are happy to spread their money and attention out for multiple projects that are ostensibly working toward the same goal. Another of Lyft's investors, GM, is a similar case: the auto giant put $500 million into Lyft last year and has a member on the company's board. GM also has its own self-driving projects, which includes Cruise Automation, a startup with designs to deploy driverless taxis.Clearly, the self-driving industry is at a point where players are throwing everything at the proverbial board, hoping that some of the projects will stick. 3. Uber has no friendsCapitalG's investment in Lyft is another vote of confidence for the ride-hailing company — which is another strike against its much larger rival, Uber. A separate Google fund, Google

Lyft gets even more money to expand. Credit: Getty Images for Lyft Lyft got a major boost in the form of a billion-dollar investment round, and an earlier rumor was confirmed: CapitalG, Google parent company Alphabet's growth equity fund, led the round.The investment brings Lyft's post-money valuation up to $11 billion from $7.5 billion just six months ago, and places CapitalG Partner David Lawee on the company's board. The round gives Lyft an extra boost as it prepares to dive into some major strategic projects after rapidly expanding this year, as the company says it grew from being available to 54 percent of the U.S. population to 95 percent in 2017 alone. Importantly, Google isn't responsible for the entire billion dollars — the fund typically invests between $50 to $100 million in late-stage startups, like Airbnb, Snap, and Duolingo. Even if Google is only putting up a tenth of the round, the investment marks another important association between Lyft and some of the biggest names in the auto and tech industries. The Google connection in particular highlights some intriguing storylines in the ride-hailing space, and the development of new automotive technologies on the whole. Such as:1. Lyft's next stepsWhile the Google name carries heavy connotations, the biggest takeaway from the billion-dollar round is what Lyft will be able to do with the money and the increased profile it brings.Lyft has major plans to bring self-driving taxis to the streets, but the development of the systems that will make those AVs possible largely depends on a series of partnerships with self-driving startups and automakers that will harness Lyft's open autonomous platform. Lyft is building its own dedicated self-driving development center in Silicon Valley to branch out on its own, however. The total price tag for the project isn't known, but you

Lyft Direct is a debit card and bank account designed for Lyft drivers, and gives you access to:Instant payouts: Get paid instantly after every ride with no transfer fee.Mobile banking: Make deposits, pay bills, transfer funds, and more.Cashback rewards: Earn cashback rewards on gas, public EV charging, select restaurants, and grocery stores.Savings and budgeting: Automatically deposit earnings into a high-interest savings account and create a budget in the app with spend insights. Also, eligible drivers can access $50 to $200 in Balance Protection to cover unexpected purchases.Lyft Direct transfers your earnings at no extra cost. Express Drive renters will receive instant payouts once their weekly rental fees are covered.We work with a company called Payfare to provide Lyft Direct. You’ll need to complete an application to get a Lyft Direct debit card and bank account.To apply for a Lyft Direct account:Open the Lyft Driver app main menu, then tap ‘Account’.Tap ‘Pay and tax info.’Tap ‘Set up Lyft Direct.’After you confirm your personal info, Payfare will run an identity verification check. If Payfare can't confirm your info, they'll contact you for extra documents to finish your application.Note: This isn’t a background or credit check, and it won't impact your credit.You’ll gain access to a virtual card as soon as you’re approved, and you’ll receive a physical card in the mail as well. You should receive your physical card within 5-10 business days after your approval.Even if you haven’t received your physical card yet, you can add the virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for immediate use.Activating your Lyft Direct accountOnce approved, you can link your Lyft driver account to your Lyft Direct account by downloading the Lyft Direct app.You’ll be asked to enter the same email and mobile number that’s on your Lyft account.Payfare will text you a verification code so you can link your Lyft account. You can change your phone number later after you’ve set up your Lyft Direct account.Setting up Lyft Direct payoutsLyft Direct payouts will turn on automatically once you’re approved and your account is activated.Download the Lyft Direct app to get immediate access to your virtual card and start receiving your earnings instantly after every ride.To turn instant payouts on or off:Open the Lyft Driver app main menu, then tap ‘Account.’Tap ‘Pay and Tax Info.’Tap ‘Lyft Direct.’Turn on or off.Using your Lyft Direct cardYou’ll gain access to a virtual card as soon as you’re approved, and you’ll receive a physical card in the mail as well. You should receive your physical card within 5-10 business days after your approval.Even if you haven’t received your physical card yet, you can add the virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for immediate use.To view the virtual card in your Lyft Direct app:Open the Lyft Direct app, then tap 'More.'Tap ‘Manage card’ from the menu.Tap ‘View virtual card.’Once you receive your physical card in the mail, you’ll have to activate it before you can use it.To activate your physical Lyft Direct debit card:Open the Lyft Direct