Self-driving technology supplier Mobileye wants to be part of the robotaxi revolution – again

Mobileye has positioned itself as a supplier of autonomous vehicle technology. Now, he wants to name the operator as well.

The Intel subsidiary and publicly traded company said Tuesday that it plans to launch a robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027, marking an expansion beyond its supplier strategy. The Mobileye website did not mention the name of the American city. However, the Israel-based company said it will have an initial fleet of 100 self-driving vehicles, which will be operational in phases throughout 2027.

If successful, Mobileye said it plans to expand its reach to about 17,000 robotaxis over the next five years.

“The robotics revolution has only just begun, and its potential to change the way we travel around the world is growing,” Amnon Shashua, founder and CEO of Mobileye, said in a statement, noting that the industry has become increasingly reliant on a small number of technology providers and business models.

Mobileye has risen to prominence supplying automakers with millions of computer vision chips designed to power car safety features and advanced driver assistance systems. The company later began developing chips and software that could Dealing with self-drivingThe technology was tested in several cities. It is now supplying its autonomous driving system to Volkswagen and its subsidiary MOIA.

But Mobileye clearly wants to own a piece of the robotaxi market, even if that’s the case In direct competition With companies providing them with self-driving systems as well.

These robotics aspirations are not entirely new. In a Interview 2018 With TechCrunch, Shashua said he believes the “holy grail” is autonomous driving for passenger cars — where consumers can purchase a car that can operate entirely without a driver. But to get there he needed to follow an auto-taxi.

“The realization is that you can’t get to the Holy Grail if you don’t do the robo-taxi business,” Shashua said at the time.

Mobileye said it will create a new operating business for its robotaxi service, which will use its self-driving system. Mobileye plans to manage the fleet and will leverage Moovit, the transportation and ride-hailing app it owns, in the consumer-facing segment.

Mobileye said this new business will complement its supplier business. The company did not mention the name of the vehicle that will be used in its fleet, stating only that it will work with “manufacturers of off-the-shelf vehicle platforms.” However, the company’s press release announcing the partnership shows an 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, but rather an extension of them,” Shashua said. “We remain deeply committed to empowering automakers and mobility service providers with Mobileye Drive. At the same time, running our own service allows us to accelerate the adoption process, gain first-hand operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility.”