Ready to order a Lyft, but without a driver? This could be a possibility as early as 2026, thanks to new Lyft robotaxis. And they’re not the only company planning fully autonomous taxis.
Lyft Partners with Marubeni
Launching a robotaxi service isn’t cheap. That’s why Lyft has partnered with the Japanese conglomerate, Marubeni, to pay for the new self-driving fleet. The new vehicles will be equipped with Mobileye, which is a driver assist technology that’s already built into many popular auto brands, like Ford, Audi, General Motors, and others. Lyft hasn’t said which brand or brands may be the first in the fleet.
Marubeni has partnerships with companies in various industries and wanted to branch out to robotaxis. With Lyft looking for someone to own and manage the fleet, it was a win-win for both.
Lyft plans to add robotaxis to its app sometime in 2026, with the first vehicles available in Dallas, Texas. After seeing how well the launch goes, Lyft has plans to add thousands of fully autonomous robotaxis throughout the U.S.
Currently, Lyft is trying to bring on more autonomous vehicle manufacturers to its platform. However, the competition is doing the same thing, making it difficult to land more options.
Competition Is Fierce in Texas
Texas is ground zero for robotaxis right now. Tesla is planning to launch its own fleet in Austin, Texas, this summer, and Uber has partnered with Waymo to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, in 2025. Uber has even landed a dozen partnerships with other autonomous vehicle (AV) companies to cover more than just ride-hailing.
Lyft is also working with May Mobile to transition to fully autonomous vans in Atlanta, Georgia. This partnership began late last year, with Lyft currently using drivers behind the wheel, just in case something goes wrong. However, they plan to transition to driverless vehicles as soon as possible.
Why are companies choosing to launch their robotaxis in Texas? The state’s AV regulations are far more lax here. It’s also why much of the AV technology is moving from California to Texas: California’s regulations have gradually become more strict.
If you live in Texas, you could soon have several driver-free options when you hail a ride. Based on timelines, Tesla may launch first, though Uber and Lyft won’t be far behind. However, Tesla does have a reputation for setting deadlines the company can’t meet, so it’s a race to see which company has the first fully autonomous robotaxi fleet.
If you’ve ever hesitated to use a ride-share service over safety issues, this could be the perfect solution. Not having a driver may make you feel safer, but that also means there’s no driver in the event the driverless technology fails.
While you’re waiting Lyft robotaxis, play around with AI by checking out Spotify AI playlists.
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