Lyft will introduce autonomous shuttles produced by Austrian manufacturer Benteler Group to its network by late 2026. The company announced the partnership on Friday, revealing plans to deploy these shuttles in collaboration with U.S. cities and airports initially, with potential expansion depending on performance.
The electric shuttles, developed under Benteler’s Holon brand, will feature no steering wheel or pedals. Designed for urban environments, they will accommodate up to nine seated and six standing passengers, with inward-facing seating arrangements. Bloomberg News first reported the partnership, highlighting the unique design of these vehicles.
This move comes as Lyft’s competitor, Uber, continues to expand its autonomous vehicle offerings. Uber has recently integrated robotaxis from Waymo and WeRide into its services across multiple cities. Additionally, Uber has partnered with several other companies, including Baidu, Pony AI, Momenta, May Mobility, Volkswagen, and Wayve, to advance its robotaxi initiatives. Just last week, Uber announced new deals with Nuro and Lucid Motors to further develop its autonomous vehicle services.
While Lyft has been testing autonomous technology with various partners for years, it has yet to fully incorporate self-driving vehicles into its fleet. The company plans to add AVs from May Mobility to its network in Atlanta later this year. Lyft is also collaborating with Mobileye, though details about vehicle production remain unclear. Notably, Mobileye’s technology powers the Holon shuttles, but Lyft clarified that these partnerships are separate from its existing agreements.