Uber, the prominent ride-hailing company, along with Chinese autonomous driving startup Momenta, intends to begin testing robotaxi services in Munich, Germany in 2026. This will be the first city in mainland Europe where either company has announced such plans, with ambitions to expand into additional regions.
Their collaboration was initially revealed in May 2025, when Uber disclosed that vehicles powered by Momenta’s technology would become available on its platform in Europe from 2026. These vehicles will start with human safety drivers present to supervise the operation and intervene if necessary.
Established in 2016, Momenta stands among the earliest autonomous vehicle (AV) startups in China. Headquartered in Beijing, the company has been piloting self-driving cars in China since 2018 and is recognized as a significant competitor in the nation’s AV sector.
Uber’s initiative will see it competing head-to-head with other ride-hailing services making similar inroads into Europe’s AV sector. Lyft, for instance, announced in August a partnership with Baidu from China to introduce robotaxis across Europe as soon as next year, starting in Germany and the UK.
Globally, Uber has partnered with 20 autonomous vehicle companies for its ride-hailing, delivery, and freight divisions. According to Uber, these collaborations have already led to an annualized total of 1.5 million rides and deliveries.
In the United States, Uber customers can hail Waymo’s autonomous taxis through the app in cities including Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Elsewhere, Uber works not only with Momenta but also with other Chinese AV startups such as WeRide and Pony.ai to introduce robotaxis on its platform in the Middle East. At present, Uber and WeRide provide autonomous rides in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with future plans for Dubai. Uber has also teamed up with UK-based Wayve to begin public testing of Level 4 AVs on London streets.
(Vehicles at Level 4 autonomy are able to drive themselves under specific conditions, without human involvement.)
Uber explained that Munich was selected as its starting point in Europe because of the city’s renowned engineering excellence and robust automotive industry.
“Germany has been a leader in the global car industry for over 100 years, and now Munich is set to play a key role in shaping the future of autonomous transport,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated.
TechCrunch has contacted both Uber and Momenta to determine if they have started the certification process required in Germany. Momenta must demonstrate that its vehicles comply with safety regulations and secure approval for their intended operational areas, known as “geo-fenced zones,” from local authorities.
If the rollout proceeds, this will mark Momenta’s debut of robotaxi services in Europe. The company is already running a service in Shanghai, aiming for a commercial launch that includes safety drivers by year’s end. As Momenta develops its Level 4 technology, it is also deploying advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) through partnerships with automakers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. According to Momenta, its ADAS is now installed in 400,000 vehicles currently in use by customers.
