Ride-hailing giant Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle startup Momenta plan to start testing robotaxis in Munich, Germany, in 2026. This will be the first continental European city where either company has publicly announced trials, with plans to expand to other markets.
The partnership was first revealed in May 2025, when Uber stated that Momenta-powered vehicles would launch on its platform in Europe next year. Initially, human safety operators will be on board to monitor the vehicles and take control if needed.
Founded in 2016, Momenta is one of China’s earliest autonomous vehicle companies. The Beijing-based startup has been testing self-driving cars in China since 2018 and is a major player in the country’s competitive AV market.
Uber’s move puts it in direct competition with other ride-hailing companies entering Europe’s autonomous vehicle space. In August, Lyft announced a partnership with China’s Baidu to deploy robotaxis in Europe starting next year, beginning with Germany and the U.K.
Momenta is one of 20 global AV partners Uber has engaged across its ride-hailing, delivery, and freight businesses. Uber says these partnerships have already generated an annualized rate of 1.5 million mobility and delivery trips. In the United States, Uber offers Waymo robotaxis on its app in Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Internationally, Uber has partnered with Momenta and other Chinese AV startups such as WeRide and Pony.ai to roll out robotaxis in the Middle East. Currently, Uber and WeRide provide AV rides in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with plans to expand to Dubai. Uber and UK-based Wayve also announced plans to launch public road trials of Level 4 autonomous vehicles in London.
(Level 4 autonomy means the vehicle can operate without human intervention under certain conditions.)
Uber said Munich was chosen as its European launchpad because of the city’s engineering heritage and strong automotive ecosystem. “Germany has shaped the global automotive industry for more than a century, and now Munich will help shape the future with autonomous vehicles,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber.
Sources report that Uber and Momenta are yet to confirm whether certification processes in Germany have begun. Momenta will need to meet German safety standards and get approval for its operating zones, known as geo-fenced areas.
The Munich launch could be Momenta’s first robotaxi deployment in Europe. The company already operates a service in Shanghai and plans a commercial rollout with onboard safety operators by the end of this year. Momenta is also deploying advanced driver assistance systems with partner automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. Its ADAS is currently installed on 400,000 vehicles worldwide.
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