Stellantis has teamed up with Estonia-based ride-hailing operator Bolt to introduce autonomous vehicles to Bolt’s European network, with road testing scheduled to begin in 2026.

The agreement will see Stellantis’ purpose-built autonomous vehicle platforms integrated into Bolt’s app-based service.

Bolt’s service is available in more than 50 countries and covers over 200 million users, including riders in 23 European Union (EU) member states.

The rollout is planned in stages, moving from prototype testing to pilot fleets and then a gradual ramp-up to larger-scale deployment.

The partners have set an initial production target for 2029.

According to a joint statement, Stellantis and Bolt intend to work with regulators across Europe to align with regional requirements on safety, cybersecurity and data protection as they develop and deploy the vehicles.

Bolt founder and CEO Markus Villig said: “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, in line with European standards, that millions of people will be able to use.

“The partnership marks the next step in our ambition to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles on the Bolt platform by 2035.”

Stellantis will contribute what it calls “AV-Ready Platforms”, including the eK0 medium-sized van and the STLA Small platform, both designed to support Level 4 autonomous driving.

At this level, vehicles are capable of operating without a human driver in defined conditions and environments.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said: “Our AV-Ready Platforms are designed for maximum flexibility, so we can deliver the best possible experience for European customers. Autonomous fleets can also contribute to a lower carbon footprint by enabling a shared and optimised mobility, reducing congestion and emissions.

“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.”

In October, Stellantis and Pony.ai signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate the development and deployment of robotaxi solutions in Europe.