STEER Tech, an autonomous vehicle technology company based in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, has signed a technology supply agreement to provide the full autonomy stack and sensor integration layer for Pliyt’s autonomous ridesharing platform, with a working Alpha prototype targeted for late 2026. The agreement makes STEER Tech the autonomous and sensor technology backbone of the service, drawing on systems the company already runs across military installations, airport operations, commercial warehouses, and last-mile logistics. Pliyt, which describes itself as a privacy-first autonomous ridesharing company, is the company’s most prominent move into consumer mobility to date.
Highlights
- STEER Tech will deliver the complete AV autonomy stack and sensor integration layer — navigation, perception, and multi-sensor hardware — for Pliyt’s ridesharing platform.
- The company’s technology is already deployed across military installations, airport operations, commercial warehouses, and last-mile logistics environments.
- A working Alpha prototype is targeted for late 2026, geared toward airports and airport-adjacent travel.
- Pliyt retains ownership of the passenger experience and platform architecture, while STEER Tech supplies the vehicle automation layer.
What STEER Tech Brings to the Agreement
STEER Tech’s platform spans the full autonomy stack — perception, navigation, real-time decision-making, and multi-sensor integration — the same perception and sensor-fusion architecture being built across the industry’s Level 4 autonomy platforms. The company describes its architecture as a horizontal autonomy layer, a technology stack meant to run across industries rather than be optimized for a single application, spanning material handling, last-mile logistics, defense installations, and now consumer ridesharing.
“Our technology has earned its stripes across a wide range of environments: military sites, airport operations, distribution centers, last-mile operations and that breadth is exactly what makes it the right foundation for what Pliyt is building,” said Anuja Sonalker, Founder and CEO of STEER Tech. “Autonomous ridesharing demands the same rigor we bring to every deployment. We’re excited to bring that to the passenger experience.”
What the Deal Means for Pliyt
Pliyt is building a privacy-first ridesharing service and will keep full ownership of the passenger experience and platform architecture, with STEER Tech powering the vehicle automation layer underneath. The division of work places Pliyt within the broader push toward autonomous ride-hailing, where platform operators increasingly pair their own rider-facing products with third-party autonomy suppliers.
“We were deliberate about choosing a technology partner with a real track record in real environments, not just a promising prototype,” said Shalin James Anto, Founder and CEO of Pliyt. “STEER Tech’s deployments speak for themselves. Their autonomy and sensor expertise gives us the confidence to move fast and build something that’s genuinely ready for the real world.”
When Will a Working Prototype Arrive?
A working Alpha prototype is targeted for late 2026 and will be geared toward airports and airport-adjacent travel, setting an early, concrete milestone for the integrated system. Both companies enter the agreement with active deployments already in production on the STEER Tech side and a defined first build on the horizon.
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