Lyft and Uber Expand Autonomous Vehicle Plans | Self-Driving Shuttles

Lyft to Integrate Autonomous Shuttles by Benteler Group

Lyft has revealed plans to incorporate self-driving shuttles, manufactured by Benteler Group, into its service network beginning in late 2026. This announcement was made by the company on Friday.

Initial deployment of these shuttles will be focused on collaborations with U.S. cities and airport locations. Lyft anticipates potential expansion of the program contingent upon successful initial results.

Benteler’s Holon Shuttles to Power the Initiative

The collaboration will utilize urban electric shuttles developed by Benteler’s mobility division, operating under the Holon brand. These vehicles are designed without traditional driver controls, specifically lacking a steering wheel and pedals.

According to reports from Bloomberg News, the shuttles will accommodate up to nine seated passengers and an additional six standing individuals, featuring an inward-facing seating arrangement.

Lyft Responds to Uber’s Autonomous Vehicle Expansion

This partnership arrives following a series of announcements from Lyft’s primary competitor, Uber. Uber has recently integrated robotaxis from companies like Waymo and WeRide into its services across multiple global cities.

Uber is actively pursuing further integrations with robotaxi technology from Baidu, Pony AI, Momenta, May Mobility, Volkswagen, and Wayve. A recent agreement with Nuro and Lucid Motors was also announced just last week.

Lyft’s Ongoing Autonomous Vehicle Strategy

While Lyft continues to develop its own autonomous vehicle (AV) fleet, this Benteler partnership represents a significant step forward. The company intends to introduce AVs from May Mobility into its Atlanta network later this year.

Lyft is also collaborating with Mobileye, a provider of autonomous driving technology, although the vehicle manufacturer for that partnership remains unspecified.

Distinction Between Holon and Mobileye Technologies

It’s important to note that while Mobileye’s technology underpins the Holon shuttles, Lyft clarified to Bloomberg that the agreements with Benteler and Mobileye are distinct and separate.

The integration of these autonomous shuttles signifies Lyft’s commitment to exploring and implementing self-driving technology within its ride-sharing platform.