Mobileye Will Operate U.S. Robotaxi Service in 2027, While Continuing to Supply Automakers

Mobileye said Tuesday it will begin running a robotaxi fleet in an unnamed U.S. city in 2027, launching with about 100 driverless vehicles that will enter service over the course of the year and could expand to roughly 17,000 cars within the next five years.

The Intel-owned company, long known for selling vision chips and driver-assistance software to automakers, announced it will set up a separate business to operate the service and use its own self-driving stack. Mobileye plans to handle fleet operations internally and tap Moovit, the transit and ride-booking app it owns, to connect riders with the vehicles. The firm did not disclose the make of the cars it will deploy, saying only that it will work with manufacturers whose platforms are prepared for autonomous systems.

Mobileye rose through the market by equipping mainstream automakers with sensors and processing chips aimed at vehicle safety and partial automation. Over the past several years it progressed into full-stack autonomy, testing systems in multiple cities and supplying its technology to partners including a large German automaker and its mobility unit. Company leaders have long argued that running robotaxis is a necessary step toward achieving fully driverless personal cars, and the new initiative puts that philosophy into practice.

The decision to both supply self-driving software and operate a ride service creates a new dynamic between Mobileye and its customers. On one hand, running its own fleet gives the company real-world operational data and a front-row seat to issues such as maintenance, dispatching and rider behavior. On the other hand, some automakers and mobility providers that use Mobileye’s technology could see the company as a competitor rather than just a vendor, a tension that could affect future partnerships.

Industry observers say the move is a logical next step for a supplier that needs massive, varied driving data to refine autonomous systems. “Operating cars gives you access to edge cases you can’t simulate,” said an independent transportation analyst. “But it also forces tough questions about client relationships and how regulators treat a supplier that also becomes an operator.” Local and federal approvals, insurance frameworks and public acceptance will be key hurdles before the service scales.

Mobileye framed the new service as complementary to its existing work, saying operating vehicles will accelerate consumer adoption and provide hands-on lessons it can share with partners. The company plans to phase the initial fleet through the year and, if early operations meet expectations, to grow the service substantially over the following half-decade — a test that could reshape how commuters access on-demand transportation in U.S. cities.