• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechLyft

Lyft Trades in the Pink Mustache for Something Just as Funky

By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 15, 2016, 3:00 AM ET
Courtesy of Lyft

Lyft is trading its signature mustache for something equally funky: colorful LED lights.

On Tuesday, the ride-hailing company unveiled a new emblem for its drivers to sport in the front of their cars, and unlike its previous two symbols, it does not feature a mustache at all. The new device is pill-shaped and displays colored lights and the company’s name. On the back, it can display signs and words, such as a greeting for the passenger.

Lyft Co-Founder and President John Zimmer first hinted at the end of the pink mustache last month at a conference in Laguna Beach, Calif. hosted by the Wall Street Journal.

Lyft’s goal with the new device, named Amp, is to make it easier for passengers and drivers to find each other, especially in busy areas packed with people trying to find their rides, such as by a string of bars at the end of a weekend night. When passengers are matched with drivers, they will each be notified of the color of their driver’s Amp (there are currently six) so they can look for them. Additionally, the passengers’ apps will show the same color on their smartphone screens so they can wave it in the air to make it easier for the driver to spot them.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

And the Amp isn’t just a display with 160 LED lights, according to the company. It’s a way for passengers and drivers to interact. Besides being able to display greetings on the back of the device, it could be helpful for hearing-impaired drivers to communicate with passengers.

Drivers can charge their Amp device via a USB post on the back of it. Fully charged, Lyft says the device can work for eight hours.

But the new device might also offer Lyft a glimpse into a future with self-driving cars. The ride-sharing company, like many others, is very bullish on autonomous driving. In September, Zimmer made a bold prediction that by 2025, all Lyft rides in major U.S. cities will be completed by self-driving cars.

As it prepares for a world where passengers will interact with robot vehicles, Lyft’s Amp could be a first step in studying this type of interaction. Is a colorful display of lights enough for a passenger to identify the right car? Does a personalized message inside really make the passenger feel welcome? Could Lyft’s dispatch service or customer support communicate with a passenger via such a device? Lyft’s Amp could be a first attempt at answering these questions.

And while Lyft is leaving much of the self-driving car technology development to General Motors, which also invested $5oo million into the ride-hailing company in January, Lyft will still be the entity its customers (and maybe even GM’s) interact with when taking a ride.

“This is absolutely an extensible solution in a world where there’s no driver in the car,” Lyft vice president of product Tali Rapaport said during a presentation of the new device to the press.

The company may also include more sensors and chips in the Amp device down the line, such as GPS, said Rapaport, although she declined to share any details.

For now, it hopes that helping passengers and drivers identify each other faster will lead to greater efficiency for drivers and riders. In particular, the company will look for decreases—even if just by seconds—of the amount of time it takes for passenger to hop into their ride, according to Rapaport.

To go along with its new emblem, Lyft has also developed a series of new television commercials to highlight its service. In all four spots, Lyft not-so-subtly takes aim at Uber, its main competitor. Each commercial shows three men sitting around a dark-walled conference room—at “Ride Corp.”—and spying on their competitor’s drivers and riders, who all seem so happy. Interestingly, in one scenario, the Ride Corp. men point out that Lyft provides third-party background checks, among other things, which Uber also does, though the commercial doesn’t mention this.

Lyft’s new campaign is also reminiscent of Uber’s “Shave the ‘Stache” ads in 2013, though the latter’s approach was obviously a more direct attack on its opponent.

Lyft declines to share how much it’s spending on the the new ads, but they’ll be airing across cable TV and major networks through the end of the year. The company debuted its first TV commercial in April and says it’s been well received.

As for its new Amp devices, the company says we should expect to start seeing them appear in Lyft cars starting in mid-December. All drivers are eligible, unlike its previous “Glowstache,” which required drivers to complete a certain amount of rides.

According to Rapaport, new drivers will receive one as soon as they complete certain on-boarding requirements, while existing drivers will get one as soon as they submit and confirm an address to which Lyft can ship the device.

An earlier version of the story incorrectly stated the amount of money GM invested in Lyft. The story has been updated.

About the Author
By Kia Kokalitcheva
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Torsten Slok, wearing a suit, speaks on a stage with a gold and black background.
AILabor
‘The gains will be substantial’: The AI shock is looking a lot like the China shock, and a top economist says that’s actually good news
By Sasha RogelbergMay 10, 2026
18 minutes ago
Young man working on laptop with headphones in modern coffeeshop
Future of Workskills gap
AI generated identical résumés for a man and a woman: Hers was more likely to be labeled ‘weak,’ while his got a 97% approval rating
By Eleanor PringleMay 10, 2026
3 hours ago
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
Innovationspace
UFO files show Buzz Aldrin saw a ‘sizeable’ object close to the moon and a ‘fairly bright light source’ that the Apollo 11 crew felt could be a laser
By Seung Min Kim, Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 9, 2026
20 hours ago
joaquin
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
Johnson & Johnson CEO: America’s innovation advantage starts with health 
By Joaquin DuatoMay 9, 2026
23 hours ago
Qualcomm’s CEO is working with ‘pretty much all’ major AI players on top-secret devices—and powering OpenAI’s first push into hardware
AIQualcomm
Qualcomm’s CEO is working with ‘pretty much all’ major AI players on top-secret devices—and powering OpenAI’s first push into hardware
By Eva RoytburgMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
reed
CommentaryRetirement
Tim Cook and Reed Hastings just showed every CEO how to leave gracefully
By Paul HardartMay 9, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloMay 9, 2026
21 hours ago
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
Politics
Ted Cruz says the quiet part out loud: Trump accounts are Social Security personal accounts as GOP senator reveals 'dirty little secret'
By Jason MaMay 9, 2026
17 hours ago
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
Success
Red flag test: former CEO explains why he rejects job candidates who say they can start right away
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 9, 2026
23 hours ago
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
Politics
You're probably safe from the Hantavirus outbreak, but here's what you absolutely must not do, experts say
By Catherina GioinoMay 8, 2026
2 days ago
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
Future of Work
Companies are abandoning 'peanut butter' raises as pay-for-performance takes over the workplace in the AI era
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 9, 2026
1 day ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
Magazine
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.