Lyft announced Friday it will begin deploying autonomous shuttles in late 2026 through a new partnership with Austrian manufacturer Benteler Group. The shuttles, developed under Benteler’s Holon brand, will initially operate in select U.S. cities and airports, with the potential to expand if successful.
According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the deal, the electric shuttles will have no steering wheel or pedals and will feature inward-facing seats for up to nine seated and six standing passengers.
The vehicles will use self-driving technology developed by Mobileye. However, Lyft clarified to Bloomberg that the Holon deal is separate from other ongoing collaborations with the same tech provider.
This move marks a step forward for Lyft’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, after years of testing. The company also plans to launch AVs from May Mobility in Atlanta later this year and is exploring additional efforts with Mobileye, though it remains unclear who will manufacture those vehicles.
Meanwhile, Uber continues to scale up its own autonomous efforts. The company recently added robotaxis from Waymo and WeRide in various global cities and is building out partnerships with Baidu, Pony AI, May Mobility, Momenta, Volkswagen, Wayve, Nuro, and Lucid Motors.
Lyft also introduced a new feature Thursday that allows riders to “favorite” drivers they’ve had a positive experience with and prioritize future matches with them when available.
The personalized option gives users more control over their ride experience by helping them reconnect with drivers they trust.
“After any great ride, just tap to favorite that driver. Then, for your future scheduled rides, we’ll prioritize connecting you with your favorites whenever possible,” Lyft said in a statement.
The announcement follows a similar move by rival Uber, which just unveiled a pilot program allowing female riders to choose women drivers in select cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit. Lyft already offers a comparable service called Women+ Connect.
With the new favorite-driver feature, Lyft aims to enhance rider comfort and loyalty by making repeat matches easier when schedules align.
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