Lyft said on Friday it plans to deploy fully autonomous electric shuttles from Austrian manufacturer Benteler Group starting in late 2026, with initial operations focused on U.S. cities and airports.
The shuttles, produced under Benteler’s Holon brand, will be designed specifically for urban environments and feature no steering wheel or pedals. According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the deal, the vehicle will accommodate up to nine seated and six standing passengers in a cabin with inward-facing seating.
“This is a partnership to deploy a purpose-built vehicle designed for autonomy from the ground up,” Lyft said in a statement to Bloomberg.
The partnership represents a step forward for Lyft in the autonomous mobility space, as the company continues to develop and scale its self-driving services. While the ride-hailing firm has tested autonomous vehicles with various partners over the years, it has yet to establish a broad AV presence in its fleet.
Lyft is expected to launch AV rides with May Mobility in Atlanta later this year and is also collaborating with autonomous technology provider Mobileye, though the company clarified that the Holon shuttle integration is separate from that arrangement.
Mobileye’s autonomous system powers the Holon vehicles, which could give Lyft flexibility to expand future self-driving services through different vehicle types or partners.
The announcement follows a series of developments from rival Uber, which recently added robotaxis from Waymo and WeRide to its platform in select global cities, and is pursuing additional partnerships with companies including Baidu, Pony AI, and Lucid Motors.
Lyft said that if the 2026 deployment of Holon shuttles proves successful, the program could be extended beyond its initial launch cities and airports.