3 Brilliant but Overlooked Driverless Vehicle Stocks to Buy and Hold for 10 Years

The article highlights Mobileye, Aptiv, and Hesai Group as key investment opportunities within the rapidly expanding driverless vehicle market, which is projected for substantial growth. Mobileye offers end-to-end ADAS and autonomous driving solutions, securing significant OEM partnerships and maintaining a strong cash position despite current unprofitability. Aptiv, a developer of next-generation safety and autonomous vehicle technology, anticipates robust earnings growth and plans a strategic Q1 2026 split to concentrate on its higher-margin safety and software segment. Hesai Group, a global leader in lidar solutions, has secured numerous design wins for automotive ADAS and autonomous vehicles, solidifying its market position in both automotive and robotics sectors.

Analysis

The driverless vehicle market is projected for substantial growth, with Goldman Sachs Research forecasting a 90% compound annual growth rate for robotaxis' ride-share market between 2025 and 2030. This rapid expansion creates significant opportunities for key technology providers like Mobileye, Aptiv, and Hesai Group, which are positioned as enablers of this generational shift. The overall sentiment towards these companies and the sector is strongly positive, reflecting high growth expectations.

Mobileye (MBLY) is a key player in ADAS and autonomous driving, securing partnerships with major OEMs such as ZEEKR, Porsche, Mahindra, and Volkswagen. Despite current unprofitability, with a full-year operating loss guidance of $436 million to $512 million, the company maintains a strong financial position with approximately $1.7 billion in cash and rising free cash flow, suggesting resilience to navigate early market development.

Aptiv (APTV) is strategically repositioning for accelerated growth, with earnings projected to reach $7.48 per share in 2025, up from $2.61 in 2021, representing a 30% CAGR. The planned Q1 2026 business split will separate its slower-growth electrical distribution systems from its higher-margin safety and software segment, which generated 2024 sales of $12.2 billion with nearly double the EBITDA margins (18.8% vs. 9.5%).

Hesai Group (HSAI) demonstrates strong market leadership in lidar solutions, securing numerous design wins through 2026, including a platform win for multiple 2026 models with a top ADAS customer. Its robotics business also leads, ranking first in lidar shipments in China for H1 2025, with total shipments in that period already surpassing full-year 2024 figures, underscoring robust demand and market penetration.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Consider long-term strategic allocations to companies enabling the autonomous vehicle sector, given the projected market growth and the strong positioning of Mobileye, Aptiv, and Hesai Group.
• Evaluate Mobileye's ability to leverage its substantial cash reserves and strategic OEM partnerships to achieve profitability as the ADAS and autonomous driving market matures.
• Monitor Aptiv's upcoming Q1 2026 business split for potential value unlocking, particularly in its higher-margin safety and software segment, which is focused on driverless vehicle technology.
• Assess Hesai Group's continued lidar design wins and market share expansion in both automotive and robotics as indicators of sustained revenue growth and competitive advantage in critical AI perception technology.