- Mercedes-Benz and Momenta have launched a robotaxi fleet based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan in Abu Dhabi, with plans to commence operations in 2026.
- The collaboration will also leverage the localized operational capabilities of UAE mobility service operator Lumo.
German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz and Chinese autonomous driving company Momenta have partnered to launch a robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, marking a further alliance between the two firms.
The companies will deploy a fleet of robotaxis based on the next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan in Abu Dhabi through UAE mobility service operator Lumo's platform, according to a statement released today.
The robotaxi service is scheduled to commence official operations in Abu Dhabi in 2026, with plans to expand to additional global markets in the future, Momenta said.
The collaboration leverages Mercedes-Benz's engineering capabilities, Momenta's AI technologies, and Lumo's localized operational expertise, said Momenta CEO Cao Xudong.
The luxury robotaxi, built on Momenta's R6 reinforcement learning large language model, is dedicated to delivering a new autonomous driving experience that combines safety and luxury for users, Cao said.
Headquartered in Suzhou, a city near Shanghai, Momenta was founded in 2016. One of its co-founders, Ren Shaoqing, joined Nio (NYSE: NIO) in August 2020 to lead smart driving R&D.
Mercedes-Benz and Momenta have maintained a multi-year partnership. In 2017, Mercedes-Benz became the first international automaker to invest in Momenta.
This September, the two companies jointly announced plans to co-develop a smart driving assistance system based on Momenta's Flywheel large language model.
On November 5, Mercedes-Benz launched the all-new electric CLA sedan in China, the first model equipped with this system.
The system will expand to more Mercedes-Benz models in the future, Momenta said.
Beyond its Mercedes-Benz partnership, Momenta announced in September that it would test Level 4 autonomous robotaxis with Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) in Munich, Germany next year.
Uber and Momenta aimed to expand Level 4 autonomous driving technology to other European cities, with Munich trials expected to commence in 2026.
