Motional Puts AI at Center of Robotaxi Reboot as it Targets 2026 for Driverless Service
Motional reboots robotaxi plans with AI-first strategy, targeting driverless service in Las Vegas by late 2026.
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Motional Puts AI at Center of Robotaxi Reboot as it Targets 2026 for Driverless Service
Motional Bets Big on AI for 2026 Robotaxi Launch Can autonomous vehicles finally go driverless at scale? Motional thinks so—and it’s staking its future on artificial intelligence to make it happen. The self-driving tech company, backed by Hyundai Motor Group, has completely overhauled its robotaxi roadmap with an AI-centric approach and now aims to launch a fully commercial, driverless ride-hailing service in Las Vegas by the end of 2026. After years of setbacks, layoffs, and missed deadlines, Motional is betting that generative AI and smarter perception systems are the keys to unlocking affordable, scalable autonomy. Credit: Kirsten Korosec From Crisis to Reboot: Motional’s Pivot Point Just two years ago, Motional was teetering. Its original 2023 target to roll out driverless rides with Lyft had come and gone without delivery. Then came the blow: Aptiv, one of its founding partners, pulled back its financial support. Hyundai stepped in with a $1 billion lifeline—but only if Motional coul…