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Lyft will offer self-driving taxis in Dallas as soon as 2026

Lyft plans to add Mobileye-powered self-driving robotaxis to its ride hailing app starting in Dallas as early as next year. Why it matters: Like its main rival Uber, Lyft is embracing robotaxis without taking on the financial burden to develop the technology itself. While it briefly flirted with a plan to run its own robotaxi service, Lyft now plans to let partners deploy autonomous vehicles on its network. Driving the news: The announcement builds on a partnership with Mobileye announced last November. Robotaxis with Mobileye's autonomous technology will debut in Dallas "as soon as 2026," Lyft said, leaving flexibility on the timing. The vehicles will be owned by Tokyo-based auto and fleet financing firm Marubeni Corp., the newest partner in the collaboration. What's next: After Dallas, Lyft and Mobileye plan to add "thousands of vehicles" in multiple cities, Lyft CEO David Risher posted on X. Between the lines: Mobileye specializes in self-driving software and hardware; Lyft is a network operator. Neither wants the cost or responsibility for owning and maintaining a fleet of robotaxis. That's where Marubeni comes in. It is one of Japan's largest international companies, and manages more than 900,000 vehicles through various subsidiaries and joint ventures. What to watch: Lyft didn't say what type of vehicles will be used for the robotaxis. Mobileye has already been testing fully self-driving Volkswagen ID. Buzz minivans in Austin, Tex. Its camera-based advanced driver assistance technology is widely used by many automakers, including Audi, Volkswagen, Nissan, Ford, General Motors and others. The big picture: Lyft is trying to catch up to Uber, which has partnerships with an array of AV companies, including Waymo, the market leader. Lyft's early misfortune was partnering with AV companies that folded or retrenched, including Argo AI and Motional. Besides its Mobileye deal, Lyft announced plans to launch AVs with May Mobility in Atlanta this year.