Lyft plans to launch Benteler autonomous shuttles in U.S. in 2026

Lyft Inc. is partnering with Benteler Group, an Austria-based manufacturer, to deploy autonomous shuttles in the U.S. in late 2026, trying to catch up with rival Uber Technologies Inc. in offering driverless rides.

The ride-sharing company will test Benteler’s Holon urban electric shuttles for U.S. customers next year, and may expand to thousands of vehicles in more markets globally. The driverless shuttles will initially be deployed in partnership with airports and cities, Lyft said Friday in a statement, dovetailing with the company’s recent revival of pooled rides at U.S. airports.

Lyft said it will also work with a Benteler sister company, Benteler Trading International, to provide vehicle ownership and financing in the “tens of millions of dollars” for future fleet expansion.

Similar to the robotaxis developed by Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox, the Holon shuttle is built without regular driving controls like a steering wheel, pedals and windshields. It also has inward-facing seats and can accommodate as many as nine seated and six standing passengers.

Last November, Holon sought a temporary exemption from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for some of its requirements for vehicle driver controls. The agency hasn’t yet made a decision on the petition.

According to Benteler’s website, the Holon urban vehicle uses autonomous driving technology from Intel Corp.-backed Mobileye Global Inc. Lyft has a separate driverless partnership deal with Mobileye, which is scheduled to begin as soon as next year in Dallas. No car manufacturing partner has yet been announced for that partnership, and Lyft said Benteler isn’t the automaker for that arrangement.

Lyft is signing partnerships with autonomous carmakers and technology providers as it prepares to offer its first driverless rides in Atlanta later this year with May Mobility. Meanwhile, Uber already offers driverless rides in Atlanta, Phoenix and Austin, Texas, in partnership with Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, as well as in Abu Dhabi with WeRide Inc., with more launches planned globally over the next few years.

The rideshare companies have moved away from trying to develop driverless technology in-house, and now want to use the real-time routing expertise it has honed over the years to help carmakers fill their driverless fleets with customers.

Lyft said in the statement that it sees Benteler, a maker of automotive and steel products, as a partner with “extensive production capabilities” that can support its driverless strategy with multiple vehicle types beyond shuttles. Holon’s first U.S. manufacturing facility for autonomous shuttles is expected to be completed in 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla., according to an announcement last year by Benteler.

Lung writes for Bloomberg.