Lyft Gears Up for Mobileye-Powered Robotaxi Rollout in 2026, Starting with Dallas

• Chinmay
• February 12, 2025
• Automotive
• AI mobility, autonomous mobility, autonomous vehicles, AV technology, fleet management, Lyft, Mobileye, ride-hailing, robotaxis, self-driving cars, self-driving taxis, smart transportation, Tesla, Uber, Waymo
• 0 Comments

Ride-hailing giant Lyft is set to introduce fully autonomous robotaxis powered by Mobileye in Dallas by 2026, with plans to expand into multiple markets. This marks a significant step in the evolution of self-driving mobility, as the company positions itself to compete with rivals like Waymo, Uber, and Tesla in the autonomous ride-hailing race.

A Strategic Partnership for Self-Driving Success

Lyft’s autonomous fleet will be owned and financed by Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate with expertise in fleet management. The partnership allows Lyft to focus on its core platform while leveraging Mobileye’s cutting-edge autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.

Mobileye, a leader in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), already supplies automation tech to Audi, Volkswagen, Nissan, Ford, General Motors, and more. While Lyft hasn’t disclosed the automaker supplying the vehicles, the Mobileye partnership ensures top-tier self-driving capabilities.

Jeremy Bird, Lyft’s EVP of Driver Experience, emphasized the importance of this collaboration:

“Mobileye’s got the technology and relationships with OEMs, and we have the platform. The ownership of the fleet was the missing piece, and Marubeni’s experience in fleet management changes the game for us.”

Scaling Up: A Future of Thousands of Robotaxis

Lyft has yet to confirm the initial number of vehicles launching in Dallas, but Bird stated that the goal is to scale to thousands of AVs across multiple cities after the Texas debut.

To ensure high efficiency, Marubeni will use Lyft’s Flexdrive service, which connects car renters with drivers, enabling smooth fleet utilization. Lyft’s existing expertise in fleet operations, vehicle maintenance, charging, and real estate management will be instrumental in supporting the new AV rides.

Lyft’s Late But Strategic Entry into the AV Market

While Lyft is ramping up its autonomous plans, it faces stiff competition from Uber, which has already partnered with Waymo, Wayve, Aurora, Nuro, Serve Robotics, Waabi, and more to integrate self-driving technology into its platform.

Despite its slower rollout, Lyft remains committed to securing strong partnerships to build a sustainable robotaxi network. The company has previously attempted AV partnerships with Motional and Argo AI but faced setbacks due to financial and operational challenges.

However, Bird noted that Uber’s aggressive AV expansion has accelerated Lyft’s urgency, reinforcing that robotaxi deployments will not be monopolized by a single company. Lyft aims to establish itself as a key player in fleet management, demand generation, and the ride-hailing marketplace for autonomous vehicles.

A New Era of Autonomous Mobility

Lyft’s Mobileye-powered robotaxis represent a major step in making autonomous ride-hailing mainstream. As self-driving technology advances and partnerships solidify, the race to scale robotaxi services across the U.S. is intensifying.

With Marubeni managing fleet ownership, Mobileye providing AV technology, and Lyft leading platform integration, the company is preparing for a competitive but promising future in autonomous transportation.