Journey-hailing big Uber and Chinese language autonomous car startup Momenta plan to start out testing robotaxis in Munich, Germany beginning in 2026 – the primary continental European metropolis both firm has introduced publicly – with plans to develop to different markets.
The partnership was first unveiled in Could 2025, when Uber stated Momenta-powered autos would launch on its platform in Europe in 2026, initially with human security operators onboard to watch the autos and take management if wanted.
Momenta, based in 2016, is considered one of China’s earliest autonomous car (AV) corporations. The Beijing-based startup has been testing self-driving automobiles in China since 2018 and is taken into account a serious participant within the nation’s aggressive AV market.
Uber’s transfer places it in direct competitors with different ride-hailing corporations increasing into Europe’s AV market. For instance, in August Lyft introduced a cope with China’s Baidu to deploy robotaxis throughout Europe beginning subsequent yr, starting with Germany and the UK.
Momenta is considered one of 20 world AV companions that Uber has introduced on board throughout its ride-hailing, supply, and freight companies. Uber says these partnerships have already generated an annualized fee of 1.5 million mobility and supply journeys.
Within the U.S., Uber gives Waymo’s robotaxis on its app in Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Internationally, Uber has partnered with Momenta and different Chinese language AV startups, like WeRide and Pony.ai, to roll out robotaxis on the Uber platform within the Center East. Uber and WeRide at the moment supply AV rides in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with plans to develop to Dubai. Uber and UK-based Wayve additionally lately introduced plans to launch public street trials of Stage 4 AVs in London.
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(Stage 4 autonomy means the car can function with out human intervention below sure circumstances.)
Uber stated in an announcement that it selected Munich as its European launchpad as a result of metropolis’s engineering heritage and powerful automotive ecosystem.
“Germany has formed the worldwide automotive trade for greater than a century, and now Munich will assist form the long run with autonomous autos,” stated Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, in an announcement.
TechCrunch has reached out to Uber and Momenta to be taught whether or not they have already begun the certification course of in Germany but. Momenta might want to show to German regulators that its autos meet sure security requirements and have its designed working areas (referred to as “geo-fenced zones”) permitted by the authorities.
The launch could possibly be Momenta’s first robotaxi deployment in Europe. The corporate has been working a service in Shanghai with plans for a business rollout with onboard security operators by the tip of this yr. As it really works to develop its Stage 4 capabilities, Momenta has additionally been working to deploy superior driver help programs (ADAS) with accomplice automakers, together with German manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Momenta’s ADAS is already put in on 400,000 autos offered to prospects at this time, in accordance with the corporate.
