Freenow CEO sets out post-acquisition strategy as Lyft integration deepens and autonomous plans advance
- Perry Richardson
- 21 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Freenow has outlined an expanded European growth strategy and confirmed preparations to introduce autonomous vehicles from 2026, as the company moves into its first full year under the ownership of Lyft following a landmark acquisition.
In a public year-end update, Thomas Zimmermann, chief executive of Freenow, described 2025 as “an incredible, truly defining year”, citing sustained profitability, accelerated market expansion and closer operational alignment with Lyft.
“A year where ambition met execution,” Zimmermann said. “We delivered on our vision and key targets, setting the foundation for a bold new chapter together with Lyft.”
Profitability remained a central theme of the update, with Freenow confirming it had built on financial performance achieved the previous year to position itself for the acquisition. Zimmermann said the transaction reflected complementary strengths between the two companies and was already “accelerating growth and unlocking new opportunities”, though no financial metrics were disclosed.
CEO Thomas Zimmermann says 2025 marked a turning point for the European taxi platform, with expansion, profitability and London autonomous vehicle plans shaping the next phase
Operationally, Freenow said it had reinforced its core taxi-first model across Europe, continuing to digitise local taxi fleets through new dispatcher partnerships. During the year, the platform integrated with nearly 30 taxi dispatch companies across key markets including Germany, Ireland and the UK, strengthening its presence in regulated taxi segments rather than relying solely on private hire vehicles.
Zimmermann said the company had focused on “the strength and scalability of our core taxi business”, positioning Freenow as a long-term technology partner for traditional operators facing rising costs and regulatory pressure.
Geographic expansion also featured prominently, with Freenow launching in more than 30 new cities across the UK, Spain, Greece and Ireland. The additions take the platform’s European footprint to more than 180 cities, supporting its ambition to serve both local users and cross-border travellers with consistent service availability.
Brand investment increased following the transition to Freenow by Lyft, with out-of-home advertising campaigns rolled out across major urban centres and airport locations in London, Madrid, Dublin and Berlin. Zimmermann said the campaigns were designed to “bring the brand to life across Europe” while signalling closer alignment with Lyft.
The company also reported growing momentum in its corporate travel segment. Freenow said more than 170 new clients joined its Freenow for Business platform during the year, as companies looked to simplify employee ground transport across multiple European markets. New commercial partnerships were signed with brands including American Express, Mastercard, SAP Concur, Renfe and OUIGO España, alongside retail and financial partners in selected countries.
Product development remained a focus, with Freenow pointing to continued investment in driver and rider features. New tools introduced during the year included the Driver Priority Program, Airport Prebook Promise and expanded multi-stop and prebooking functionality. Zimmermann said these improvements were intended to support driver earnings consistency while improving reliability for passengers.
The most forward-looking element of the update centred on autonomous vehicles. Freenow confirmed that London has been selected as the first European market for integrating autonomous services into the Freenow and Lyft ecosystem. The deployment will involve vehicles operated by Baidu Apollo Go, with initial launches planned for 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
“Just last week, we announced London as the launch market for bringing Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles into the Lyft and Freenow ecosystem,” Zimmermann said. “We are extremely excited to help bring this innovation to Europe in 2026.”
Freenow said it is working closely with regulators to ensure compliance with European safety, certification and cybersecurity standards, stressing that autonomous vehicles will be integrated alongside existing taxi and private hire services rather than replacing them.
The update comes as Europe’s urban mobility sector faces tightening regulation and ongoing debate around the future mix of human-driven and automated transport. Freenow said it would continue to prioritise sustainable growth, regulated taxi services and disciplined expansion as it enters 2026 under Lyft ownership.
Zimmermann concluded by crediting staff for the company’s performance, saying: “This level of execution is only possible because of our people. We grow sustainably, lead with purpose, and are excited to build on this momentum in 2026.”
