3 Top Driverless Vehicle Stocks to Buy Before It's Too Late

Investors may not agree on exactly how or when driverless vehicles and robotaxis will take over the roads. Still, they'll all likely agree that driverless vehicles are certainly coming -- maybe sooner than we think, thanks in part to artificial intelligence (AI).

Robotaxi fleets alone are surging, with Goldman Sachs forecasting it will grow from roughly 7,000 vehicles to roughly 1 million in 2030, and then 6 million by 2035. More broadly, the autonomous vehicle (AV) market is expected to grow to over $40 trillion by 2034.

Driverless vehicles are coming, and these three stocks are well-positioned to thrive.

The no-brainer

It would be a disservice to investors not to mention Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) as arguably the most no-brainer investment to make in the driverless vehicle arena. Nvidia is a leading developer of graphics processing units (GPUs), which were traditionally used to enhance computing experiences, especially in gaming applications.

Fortunately for Nvidia and its investors, those GPUs have evolved into important semiconductors used in AI to run massive language models. Nvidia offers AI GPUs and a proprietary software platform, called CUDA, that AI developers can use to build their own models.

In other words, no matter which companies win or lose the massive driverless vehicle and AI battle, Nvidia is well-positioned because it provides the software and hardware that nearly the entire automotive industry relies on. Further, Nvidia also sells its DRIVE platforms to auto industry leaders; its self-driving technology is used by household names such as Toyota Motor, Mercedes-Benz, and the Chinese EV juggernaut BYD, among others.

Massive computing power and AI tools will be in high demand as driverless vehicles and robotaxi fleets boom in the decades ahead. Nvidia is dominating the space early on and will remain a key cog in the industry through extensive partnerships and end-to-end solutions.

A different approach

Mobileye Global (NASDAQ: MBLY) is taking a similar approach that some larger automotive OEMs are taking, such as Ford Motor Company. The automaker has at least temporarily paused its in-house driverless vehicle development to focus on Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), which can be more profitable in the near term.

That's not to say Mobileye isn't developing full-driverless technology; it is. Mobileye has next-generation "Supervision," "Chauffeur," and "Drive" platforms to expand its potentially lucrative multi-tier subscription and robotaxi business models. But what helps Mobileye stand out is its dominance of the ADAS market while positioning itself for full autonomous systems. Mobileye's ADAS technology, powered by its proprietary EyeQ chips, is used by over 50 automakers globally, spanning roughly 800 vehicle models -- and there's plenty of room for growth in the years ahead.

Opportunity for diversification

The driverless technology opportunity for Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a much-needed way for the company to diversify its business, and it's taking hold of it. Qualcomm has evolved into a compelling driverless vehicle stock primarily because of its Snapdragon Digital Chassis that combines ADAS, digital cockpits, and cellular vehicle-to-everything communication.

Already, Qualcomm's automotive division is booming and set a record quarterly automotive revenue, increasing 38% during the second quarter of fiscal 2026, compared to the prior year. Further, future growth will be driven by a significant $45 billion design-win pipeline as it continues to partner with major global automakers. Management anticipates the momentum will continue, with third-quarter revenue growth of 50% year over year.

Why these three?

Each of these three stocks appears to be a safer bet in the rapidly evolving driverless vehicle technology space. That's simply because, rather than trying to figure out which robotaxi business or driverless vehicle wins over consumers, Nvidia, Mobileye, and Qualcomm have all positioned themselves to help automakers power their ambitions through ADAS, subscription services, hardware and software platforms, and semiconductors. Driverless vehicles are coming, and no matter which company designs or manufactures them, these three companies are increasingly finding their products used in the vehicles.

Daniel Miller has positions in Ford Motor Company. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company and Mobileye Global and recommends the following options: short May 2026 $8 puts on Mobileye Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.