Lyft launches a new self-driving division and will develop its own autonomous ride-hailing technology

``The company expects to hire "hundreds" of people for the new division by the end of the year and has just signed a lease for 50,000-square-feet on the first floor of a Palo Alto facility where it plans to build out several labs and open testing spaces. The building Lyft refers to as "Level 5" will be developing its new "open self-driving platform" and a combination hardware and software system still in development. Lyft hopes auto manufacturers will then bring in a fleet of autonomous cars to its ride-hailing network.''