Lyft (LYFT.O) has announced plans to roll out fully autonomous robotaxis in Dallas, powered by Mobileye’s technology (MBLY.O), “as soon as 2026,” according to CEO David Risher. The announcement led to a 4.6% rise in Lyft’s shares, while Mobileye’s stock surged by 17%.
As automakers and tech companies heavily invest in driverless technology, the move is seen as a significant step toward the future of mobility. Lyft’s larger competitor, Uber (UBER.N), has already partnered with Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving unit, which plans to launch a self-driving taxi service in Austin, Texas, exclusively on Uber’s platform next month.
Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate experienced in managing fleets, will finance and own the Mobileye-equipped vehicles, which will be available for rides through Lyft’s app. This partnership follows Mobileye’s announcement in November that it would collaborate with Lyft to bring autonomous vehicles to the ride-hailing network.
Waymo has already expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service to several cities, including Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin, with further plans for expansion in 2025. Meanwhile, Tesla (TSLA.O) is set to begin testing its driverless technology in Austin this June, though it has not yet outlined details for a paid service. Lyft’s robotaxi plans were first reported by TechCrunch.
