Stellantis & Pony.ai’s Europe Robotaxi Plan, Lyft’s Toronto Tech Hub And More

Automaker Stellantis announced a partnership with Chinese self-driving firm Pony.ai to develop and deploy robotaxis across Europe, just days after autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo announced its entry into the European market, beginning with London.

Through a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both companies, the two aim to integrate Pony.ai’s advanced self-driving software with Stellantis’ medium-size van (K0) AV-Ready Platform - BEV version (which can support SAE Level 4), to deliver safe, scalable and efficient urban mobility solutions.

The collaboration, which comes through Pony.ai’s European division headquartered in Luxembourg, will see the two deploying test vehicles based on the Peugeot e-Traveller model in Luxembourg in the coming months, with plans for a gradual rollout across European cities starting in 2026.

“Driverless vehicles have the potential to transform the way people move in our cities, offering safer and more affordable options for communities,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis Chief Engineering & Technology Officer. “To bring this vision to life, we’ve built Stellantis’ AV-Ready Platforms and are partnering with the best players in the industry. Pony.ai stands out for their technical expertise and collaborative approach.”

“[Stellantis’] strong European presence and portfolio of iconic brands make them the ideal partner to help accelerate our growth in this key market,” said Dr. James Peng, Pony.ai Founder and CEO.


Even Estonian ride-hailing and food delivery company Bolt’s CEO highlighted the vitality of the robotaxi sector, saying Europe needs to pay as much attention to it as it does to electric vehicles (EVs), if it wants to play a key role in the technology’s development.

“There's so much on EVs but we've lost the plot on autonomous driving,” said CEO Markus Villig. “It will be the core technology.”

Furthermore, he noted that an increased focus will help Europe fend off domination by foreign brands, helping local competitors avoid being crushed.

Coming back to Stellantis, the automaker has also revealed plans to invest $13 billion in the United States, which marks the company’s largest investment in its 100-year history.

The goal is to expand production in the country by 50%, launch 5 new vehicles, and ensure 19 refreshed product actions over the next four years—a move that will include adding more than 5,000 new jobs at its Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana plants.

The $13 billion investment plan includes research and development, supplier costs, and investments in its manufacturing operations.

The Illinois (Belvidere) will reopen to produce two new Jeep vehicles; Ohio (Toledo) will see an all-new midsize truck; Michigan (Warren) will play host to the production of an all-new range-extended EV and internal combustion engine large SUV, and (Detroit) will be where the next-generation Dodge Durango will be built; and the Indiana (Kokomo) facility will produce an all-new GMET4 EVO engine.

“This investment in the U.S.—the single largest in the Company’s history—will drive our growth, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and bring more American jobs to the states we call home,” said Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO and North America COO.

“As we begin our next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the center of our strategy, expanding our vehicle offerings and giving them the freedom to choose the products they want and love.”


Looking to boost its reach beyond the U.S., ride-hailing company Lyft revealed plans to expand its global office footprint with a new, dedicated office in Toronto.

The new technology hub is expected to open in the second half of next year, will eventually become the home base for several hundred team members.

While Lyft has been offering rideshare services in Toronto since 2017 and has had dedicated teams in Longueuil and Montréal, Québec, for the past several years, the new office will become Lyft’s second North American tech hub after the San Francisco headquarters. 

“We’re excited to deepen our investment in Canada with our new office in downtown Toronto,” said Jason Vogrinec, EVP of Core Systems and Platforms for Lyft. “Our expansion in the GTA will enable us to tap into exceptional talent across engineering, product, operations, and beyond—allowing us to build world-class teams that will drive innovation across every part of our business.”

Even Lyft plans to enhance the autonomous mobility space, as it spoke about a partnership with Tensor, where the latter’s Robocar will become the first personally owned AV to become “Lyft-ready" directly from the manufacturer.

On the other end of the deal, Lyft, through its affiliates, has reserved hundreds of NVIDIA-powered Tensor Robocars, with the intent to purchase and add them to its fleet.

In Europe, Lyft just announced the acquisition of TBR Global Chauffeuring (TBR), one of the world's most respected names in luxury chauffeuring, for £83 million, or approximately $110 million.

TBR operates across six continents, 120 countries, and over 3,000 cities. Lyft says TBR will continue operating the way it has—under its trusted brand and established leadership team.

Do you think Lyft will be able to revolutionize the ride-sharing and autonomous ride-hailing sector?

Do you think the moves made by Stellantis and Pony.ai will help them compete with Waymo in the European market?

Will Stellantis’ largest-ever investment prove to be the telling factor in the U.S. automotive industry?

Let us know in the comments below!