Lyft has outgrown its pink mustache. Today, the ride-hail company says it will retire the oversized facial hair logo that has defined the company’s image since 2012 and replace it with a brightly colored, Bluetooth-enabled, LED gadget called the Amp. The device, which attaches magnetically to the dashboard, is designed to prevent those awkward car mix-ups with passengers. But moreover it aims to send the message that Lyft rides are more fun than your average Uber trip. Think of it as the iconic taxi light for the ride-sharing generation.
The Amp connects over Bluetooth to the driver’s app, which Lyft says allows it to create “a new line of communication” between drivers and passengers. For example, when you leave the club at 2AM and aren’t sure which Honda CR-V is your Lyft ride, the Amp will display a specific color to help you get in the right car. To go a step further, you can tap a button in the app to display the same color on your smartphone and make it easier for your driver to find you as well.
“It basically cues you to the driver, the driver back to you, so everyone’s looking for the same color,” said Ethan Eyler, the head of Lyft’s ride experience division. The fuzzy pink mustache was based on Eyler’s designs for his CarStache company, which was acquired by Lyft right after changing its name from Zimride. The fuzzy mustache attached to the grille of the car eventually became the Glowstache, a glowing pink emblem to be placed inside the windshield. And the Amp, which has been in the works for over a year now, is the next successor.
Yes that’s right, the Amp will know your name
The Amp has two displays: a 24-LED screen with the Lyft logo on top that faces out the windshield, and a 120-LED screen on the back, facing the driver and the passenger. To start out with, the street-facing display will show one of five colors, but the company says it will eventually be able to feature a broader range of colors and patterns. The back of the Amp can display personalized messages to the riders, like “Hello [insert name]” or “Go [insert sports team name].” Yes that’s right, the Amp will know your name because your driver knows your name and his or her phone is connected to the device. It has an eight-hour battery life, which Eyler says should cover a typical driver shift.