NVIDIA and Bolt Partner to Bring Robotaxis to Europe

The collaboration aims to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2035, addressing European concerns about falling behind in self-driving technology.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:53pm

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NVIDIA and Bolt, a European rideshare company, have announced a partnership to bring advanced AI-powered robotaxis to European streets. The deal combines NVIDIA's autonomous driving technology with Bolt's extensive European fleet data, creating a 'learning engine' that can handle the complexities of European roads. Bolt plans to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2035, transforming the company from a traditional rideshare service into Europe's robotaxi leader.

Why it matters

The partnership addresses European concerns about falling behind China and the US in autonomous vehicles investment and development. It provides a scalable foundation for safe, high-performance autonomous mobility services designed for the complexity and diversity of European roads, while also addressing regulatory concerns through GDPR-compliant data sharing and open-source access for European universities and SMEs.

The details

The NVIDIA deal strengthens Bolt's existing partnerships with Pony.ai and Stellantis as the company targets massive fleet expansion. Navigating European roads requires different AI than Phoenix highways, and the NVIDIA collaboration provides the computational backbone for scaling beyond trials. Bolt CEO Markus Villig wants 100,000 autonomous vehicles on the platform by 2035, transforming the company from a traditional rideshare service into Europe's robotaxi leader.

  • Trials begin in 2026 with broader deployment dependent on regulatory approval and technology validation.
  • Bolt generated €2 billion in revenue last year from traditional rideshare.

The players

NVIDIA

An American technology company that designs graphics processing units (GPUs), AI, and other computing components for the gaming, professional, and mobile markets.

Bolt

A European rideshare company that is partnering with NVIDIA to bring advanced AI-powered robotaxis to European streets.

Markus Villig

The CEO of Bolt, who wants to deploy 100,000 autonomous vehicles on the platform by 2035.

Philippe Van Den Berge

The EMEA Automotive VP at NVIDIA, who positioned the deal as essential for European competitiveness in autonomous vehicles.

Pony.ai

A Chinese autonomous vehicle company that Bolt has partnered with for Level 4 testing starting in 2026.

Stellantis

An automotive manufacturing corporation formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA, which Bolt has also partnered with for Level 4 testing.

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What they’re saying

“Autonomous vehicles require a full-stack approach... we're enabling a scalable foundation for safe, high-performance autonomous mobility services designed for the complexity and diversity of European roads.”

— Philippe Van Den Berge, NVIDIA's EMEA Automotive VP (gadgetreview.com)

What’s next

Trials of the NVIDIA-powered Bolt robotaxis are expected to begin in 2026, with broader deployment dependent on regulatory approval and technology validation.

The takeaway

This partnership represents Europe's most serious attempt to compete in the global robotaxi revolution, addressing concerns about falling behind China and the US in autonomous vehicles investment and development. The collaboration aims to transform Bolt from a traditional rideshare service into Europe's robotaxi leader by deploying 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2035.