Stellantis Partners With Bolt to Deploy Driverless Taxis in Europe
The collaboration will leverage Stellantis's new AV-Ready platforms, aiming for initial production of autonomous ride-hailing vehicles by 2029.
Stellantis NV is partnering with European mobility giant Bolt to develop and deploy a large-scale fleet of driverless ride-hailing vehicles across the continent, signaling a major push to commercialize its autonomous driving technology.
The collaboration, announced Tuesday, will see the automaker’s purpose-built autonomous vehicle platforms integrated into Bolt’s extensive network, which serves millions of users. The move sharpens Stellantis's focus on Level 4 autonomous technology—where the vehicle operates without human intervention under specific conditions—positioning it to compete in the burgeoning robotaxi market.
Under the terms of the agreement, Stellantis will provide its new “AV-Ready Platforms™,” including the eK0 medium-sized van and vehicles built on its STLA Small platform. These are engineered specifically for scalable Level 4 deployment. Bolt, in turn, will integrate these vehicles into its shared mobility service. The companies plan to begin trials in several European countries starting in 2026, with an initial production target set for 2029.
“Our AV-Ready Platforms™ are designed for maximum flexibility, so we can deliver the best possible experience for European customers,” said Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa in a statement. “Partnering with Bolt is intended to bring this vision closer to reality, combining our engineering expertise with their operational reach in the hopes of making driverless mobility a trusted part of everyday life in Europe.”
This partnership is a cornerstone of Stellantis’s evolving autonomous strategy, which has pivoted away from developing costly Level 3 assisted-driving features for consumers. Instead, the company is concentrating on commercial applications like robotaxis, a strategy built around an ecosystem of technology partners. Stellantis is already collaborating with NVIDIA for its DRIVE AV software and Foxconn for hardware integration, aiming to build a comprehensive solution for autonomous fleet operators.
The collaboration also aligns with Bolt's long-term ambitions. “This partnership marks the next step in our ambition to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles on the Bolt platform by 2035,” stated Markus Villig, Founder and CEO of Bolt. “By combining Stellantis’ AV-Ready Platforms™ and our operational expertise, we plan to create the best autonomous vehicle offering that is tailored for European needs.”
For Stellantis, a company with a market capitalization of approximately $34.8 billion, the venture represents a long-term growth initiative. While the path to profitability for autonomous vehicles is fraught with regulatory hurdles and high development costs, a successful deployment could create a significant new revenue stream. The stock currently has a consensus “Hold” rating from Wall Street analysts, with many viewing its core business of gas-powered vehicles and cost-saving measures as the primary near-term drivers.
Investors in the $11.94 stock, which offers a dividend yield of over 5%, will be watching closely as the partnership progresses from trials to potential commercial scale-up. The collaboration places Stellantis in direct competition with other automotive giants and tech companies vying for a piece of the autonomous mobility market in Europe, including Volkswagen and Ford, which recently teamed up with Renault for EV production. Success will depend not only on the technology but also on navigating Europe's complex regulatory landscape and gaining public trust.