via TechCrunch
Self-driving tech supplier Mobileye wants to be part of the robotaxi revolution — again
Mobileye has long positioned itself as a supplier of autonomous vehicle technology. Now, it wants to add operator to its resume.
The Intel subsidiary and publicly traded company announced Tuesday that it plans to launch a robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027, marking a strategic shift beyond its core supplier model. While Mobileye did not disclose the specific city, the Israeli-based firm stated it would deploy an initial fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles, phased in throughout 2027.
If successful, Mobileye aims to scale to approximately 17,000 robotaxis over the following 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 has increasingly relied on a small number of technology providers and business models.
Mobileye gained prominence by supplying automakers with millions of computer vision chips for automotive safety features and advanced driver-assistance systems. The company later expanded into developing chips and software for autonomous driving, testing its technology in several cities. Today, it supplies its self-driving system to Volkswagen and its MOIA subsidiary.
Now, Mobileye wants a piece of the robotaxi market — even if that means competing directly with companies it supplies.
These robotaxi ambitions are not entirely new. In a 2018 interview with TechCrunch, Shashua described passenger car autonomy — where consumers could buy a fully driverless vehicle — as the “Holy Grail.” But he acknowledged that achieving that goal required pursuing robotaxis first.
“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.
Mobileye said it will create a new operating division for its robotaxi service, which will use its own self-driving system. The company plans to manage the fleet and leverage Moovit, the transit and ride-hailing app it owns, for the consumer-facing side.
Mobileye emphasized that this new business will complement, not replace, its existing supplier operations. The company did not specify which vehicle will be used in its fleet, only noting it will work with “AV-ready vehicle platform manufacturers.” However, the press release accompanying the announcement included a photo illustration of what appears to be a modified Ora iQ, the electric crossover produced by Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors.
“This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them,” Shashua said. “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.”
As of 2026, the autonomous vehicle landscape remains highly competitive, with Waymo, Cruise, and Tesla among the key players. Mobileye’s decision to launch its own robotaxi service positions it to capture a share of a market expected to grow significantly over the next decade.