Mobileye, the Intel subsidiary best known for supplying autonomous vehicle technology to automakers, announced Tuesday it will launch its own robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027 — a move that would put it in direct competition with some of its own customers.
The Israeli company said it will begin with an initial fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles, phased in throughout 2027. If the launch succeeds, Mobileye said it plans to scale to approximately 17,000 robotaxis over the following five years. The specific U.S. city has not been named.
Mobileye will create a new operating business unit for the service, which will use its own self-driving system. The company plans to manage the fleet directly and will use Moovit — the transit and ride-hailing app it owns — as the consumer-facing platform. The vehicle to be used has not been confirmed, though the company’s announcement imagery appears to show a modified Ora iQ, an electric crossover made by Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors.
Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua framed the move as complementary to the company’s existing supplier business, which includes providing self-driving systems to Volkswagen and its MOIA subsidiary. “This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them,” Shashua said in a statement.
The robotaxi ambition has roots in Shashua’s long-term strategy. In a 2018 interview, he said reaching full consumer vehicle autonomy required first going through the robotaxi market — describing it as a necessary step toward what he called the “Holy Grail” of passenger car autonomy.
The 2026 announcement marks a significant strategic shift: Mobileye would move from being solely a technology supplier to also operating in the robotaxi market it has helped enable, potentially placing it alongside — and against — the companies it currently serves.
Source: TechCrunch