Mobileye (NASDAQ: MBLY) announced plans to expand into direct ownership and operation of an autonomous ride-hailing business, moving beyond its existing role as a supplier of self-driving technology.

According to a press release from the Jerusalem-based company, the initiative targets a launch in a major U.S. metropolitan market in 2027, beginning with an initial fleet of approximately 100 vehicles intended to operate under fully driverless conditions. Mobileye said it plans to scale the fleet to approximately 17,000 vehicles over the five years following the initial deployment.

The new business division will combine Mobileye Drive, the company's standalone self-driving system, with its Moovit subsidiary's mobility platform, fleet management tools, AV mission control, and teleoperation infrastructure. Moovit's platform currently serves more than 1.7 billion users across more than 3,500 cities in 112 countries.

Mobileye said the initiative does not replace its existing agreements to supply autonomous driving technology to automakers and mobility operators, describing the direct operations as a complementary path to market.

"Operating our own service allows us to accelerate adoption, gain direct operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility," said Amnon Shashua, founder and chief executive officer of Mobileye.

The company said it will work with AV-ready vehicle platform manufacturers, fleet operators, vehicle integration partners, and technology suppliers to build out the initiative. Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) retains majority ownership of Mobileye, which has been independently listed since 2022.