Autonomous shuttle buses to be rolled out by Lyft and BENTELER Mobility

In a significant move towards autonomous mobility, ride-hailing giant Lyft has partnered with BENTELER Mobility and BENTELER Trading International. This partnership aims to expand the availability of autonomous vehicle options on Lyft's network, which serves over 44 million riders annually.

The partnership combines Lyft's technology excellence and user-first approach with BENTELER Mobility's and BENTELER Trading International's automotive-grade AV platforms, operational excellence, and scalable fleet capabilities. The goal is to scale the service to thousands of vehicles, depending on demand and regulatory developments.

Initial testing on Lyft's platform for autonomous vehicles will begin next year. The urban shuttles, designed for shared urban mobility, will incorporate Mobileye's self-driving technology. BENTELER Mobility will supply purpose-built AVs developed by HOLON GmbH for this partnership.

Lyft is partnering with BENTELER Trading International for fleet financing and ownership, with tens of millions of dollars earmarked to support the growth of an autonomous fleet over the coming years. The vehicles will be fully bookable through Lyft's existing platform.

The autonomous shuttles are expected to begin service in late 2026, with San Francisco being the first city where Lyft's autonomous rapid buses will be deployed in the rideshare network starting early 2026. Early deployments of these autonomous shuttles will target city centres and airports.

Lyft's expertise in ride-hailing, deep market penetration, and commitment to autonomous mobility are key aspects of the partnership. The partnership is part of Lyft's broader ambitions to create a hybrid network where human drivers and autonomous systems operate side by side.

Lyft will coordinate closely with city authorities and local communities during initial testing to ensure a smooth transition to autonomous vehicles. The partnership aims to bring safety-focused, efficient, and accessible autonomous mobility to the streets faster than ever before.

Stay tuned for more updates as this partnership promises to revolutionise urban mobility in the near future.