General Motors Inc. and Lyft Inc. on Monday announced a partnership that will see GM invest $500 million in the ride-sharing startup as part of a joint effort to develop an on-demand network of self-driving cars.

The partnership will combine GM’s own research and work on self-driving cars – the company intends to have a fleet of autonomous Chevy Volts ready for testing by staffers by the end of 2016 – with Lyft’s ride-hailing expertise to allow riders to hail an autonomous vehicle via the Lyft app.

While the two companies did not provide a timeline for the project, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer told Buzzfeed News that a fleet of autonomous vehicles could be available via the Lyft app “within the next 10 years, likely sooner.”

In addition to a network of on-demand autonomous vehicles, GM will supply Lyft with short-term use of vehicles that drivers can access through rental hubs in cities across the U.S. Drivers and passengers will also enjoy access to a range of GM cars and OnStar services.

If you can’t beat them, join them

GM’s investment in Lyft comes amidst rumors that rival automaker Ford Motor Co. and Google are about to announce a partnership to develop a self-driving car and shows a willingness to partner with tech firms and startups that are disrupting the traditional auto market.

Google has already tested its own self-driving car on public roads, but rather than build its own autonomous vehicles it intends to make its tech available to automakers through partnerships (Ford likely being the first).

Uber Inc., Lyft’s biggest competitor, already operates its own Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburg focused on autonomous vehicle technology and has recruited engineers from Carnegie Mellon University and Google.

Consumer behemoth Apple is seemingly also set to make an entry into the auto market with rumors suggesting the company is developing its own electric vehicle. It’s unclear whether or not the project has any focus on autonomous vehicles.

Someday, maybe

It remains to be seen if and when fully autonomous vehicles will roam public roads. In December, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles issued the first-ever regulations for self-driving cars requiring a driver to be behind the wheel of an autonomous vehicle at all times.

Image via GM