Mobileye aims to rejoin the robotaxi race

Mobileye has long positioned itself as a behind-the-scenes provider of autonomous vehicle technology. Now, the company wants a more visible role as a robotaxi operator.

The Intel subsidiary, which also trades publicly, announced Tuesday that it will launch a driverless ride-hailing service in a U. S. city by 2027. This move signals a strategic shift beyond its traditional role as a supplier. While Mobileye has not disclosed which city it will target, the Israeli firm stated it will start with a fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles, rolling them out gradually throughout the year.

If the initial rollout proves successful, Mobileye plans to rapidly expand, aiming for roughly 17,000 robotaxis within the next five years.

“The robotaxi revolution has only just begun, and its potential for transforming how we travel around the world continues to increase,” said Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua in a statement. He noted that the industry is becoming increasingly reliant on a narrow set of technology providers and business models.

Mobileye first gained traction by supplying automakers with millions of computer vision chips for safety features and advanced driver assistance systems. It later expanded into developing full-stack chips and software for autonomous driving, testing its technology in multiple cities. Today, it supplies its self-driving system to Volkswagen and its MOIA subsidiary.

But Mobileye now appears intent on claiming a slice of the robotaxi market for itself, even if that means competing directly with the companies it already supplies.

This ambition is not entirely new. In a 2018 interview with TechCrunch, Shashua described passenger car autonomy as the “Holy Grail,” where consumers could buy a fully driverless vehicle. However, he acknowledged that reaching that goal required first pursuing the robotaxi business.

“The realization is that you can’t reach that Holy Grail if you don’t go through the robotaxi business,” Shashua said at the time.

To run the new service, Mobileye will establish a separate operating division. The company will manage the fleet itself and use Moovit, the transit and ride-hailing app it already owns, to handle the consumer-facing experience.

Mobileye says this new venture will complement, not replace, its existing supplier business. The company has not yet named the specific vehicle for its fleet, only stating it will work with “AV-ready vehicle platform manufacturers.” However, a press release image shows what appears to be a modified Ora iQ, an electric crossover from Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors.

“This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them,” said Shashua. “We remain deeply committed to enabling automakers and mobility providers with Mobileye Drive. At the same time, operating our own service allows us to accelerate adoption, gain direct operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility.”