Mobileye founder Amnon Shashua to step down as company pivots to robotics and robotaxis
The Israeli chipmaker’s CEO will remain in post until a successor is appointed, while the firm accelerates its “Mobileye 3.0” phase following a $900 million acquisition and plans for a US robotaxi launch.
Mobileye founder and chief executive officer Amnon Shashua plans to step down from his leadership role after nearly three decades, according to a regulatory filing made on Thursday. The announcement marks a significant leadership transition for the company just as it accelerates its strategic push into robotaxi services and humanoid robotics. Shashua will remain in the chief executive position until a replacement is hired, and he has been invited to assume the role of chairman of the board.
The leadership change aligns with the company’s broader transformation under what it terms “Mobileye 3.0,” a business phase focused on robotics and automotive artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, Mobileye acquired Mentee Robotics, a humanoid robotics startup founded by Shashua, for $900 million. The company stated in June that it intends to launch its own robotaxi service in a US city in 2027, marking a shift from its traditional role as a component supplier to an operator of autonomous driving services.
Mobileye was established by Shashua based on his academic research in computer vision at Hebrew University in Israel. The firm grew into a major supplier of chips for automotive safety and driver-assistance features, conducting the largest initial public offering in the country’s history. In 2017, Intel acquired Mobileye for $15.3 billion and spun it back out as a publicly traded company in 2022, although Intel remains its largest shareholder.
Under Shashua’s tenure, the company expanded beyond selling chips to automakers to build its own systems for autonomous driving. These systems are now supplied to Volkswagen and its mobility subsidiary, MOIA. The transition to a new CEO comes as Mobileye seeks to integrate its advanced driver-assistance technologies with its new robotics capabilities, aiming to diversify its revenue streams beyond the automotive supply chain.
The specific identity of Shashua’s successor has not been disclosed, nor has the exact timeline for the completion of the CEO search. Similarly, the US city selected for the 2027 robotaxi launch remains unnamed. Shashua’s move to the chairmanship suggests he will continue to guide the company’s strategic direction during this period of significant operational and technological expansion.
