Uber and Chinese autonomous driving company Momenta plan to begin testing robotaxis in Munich in 2026, marking a high-profile push into Germany’s tightly regulated market for self-driving services. The pilot is expected to start with trained safety operators behind the wheel and expand to additional German cities if performance and approvals progress as planned.
Why Munich is the launchpad
Munich offers a rare mix of factors that matter for autonomy: complex urban grids, four-season weather, and deep automotive roots. The city is home to BMW’s global headquarters, research talent from the Technical University of Munich, and a network of Tier 1 suppliers and software firms that make it a natural proving ground. Uber has framed the choice as a bet on Germany’s engineering heritage and an ecosystem that can accelerate industrial-grade deployments.
Germany also has a clear legal pathway for autonomous services. The country’s Autonomous Driving Act established a framework for Level 4 operations in defined operating domains, with technical rules subsequently issued by federal authorities. That gives companies a predictable, if demanding, route from piloting to scaled service—something many European markets still lack.
How the pilot will run
The Munich program is expected to start at SAE Level 4 under restricted conditions, with human safety operators ready to take control when necessary. Early service zones will likely focus on mapped corridors and peak-demand routes, gradually widening as the vehicles meet performance thresholds. The near-term goals typically include reducing disengagements per 1,000 kilometers, improving pickup ETAs, and demonstrating consistent behavior in challenging scenarios such as construction zones and mixed traffic.
For Momenta, founded in 2016, the deployment would be its first robotaxi service in Europe. The company has operated self-driving pilots in Shanghai and has said it aims to commercialize services with onboard safety operators. Parallel to robotaxis, Momenta supplies advanced driver assistance systems to automakers—including German brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi—with the company stating that its ADAS stack is installed on roughly 400,000 customer vehicles.
Competition heats up in Europe
Uber’s move positions it against rival ride-hail networks and a growing roster of AV developers targeting European streets. Lyft announced an agreement with China’s Baidu to deploy robotaxis across Europe, beginning in Germany and the U.K., adding pressure to secure prime lanes, airport access, and municipal partnerships.
Uber has pursued a partner-first AV strategy. The company counts about 20 global autonomy partners across ride-hailing, delivery, and freight, and says these collaborations are already producing an annualized rate of 1.5 million AV-enabled mobility and delivery trips. In the U.S., Waymo robotaxis can be booked in several cities via Uber’s app. Internationally, Uber has teamed up with Momenta and other Chinese AV players such as WeRide and Pony.ai in the Middle East, and with U.K.-based Wayve for planned public road trials in London.
Germany’s safety bar and approval path
German regulators require a rigorous safety case before expanding service, with the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) and independent technical services such as TÜV organizations playing central roles. Companies must demonstrate functional safety consistent with standards like ISO 26262, meet cybersecurity requirements aligned with ISO/SAE 21434, and adhere to data governance and privacy rules under GDPR.
Unlike California’s public disengagement reports, Germany emphasizes comprehensive test plans, incident reporting, and operational design domain definitions rather than a single headline metric. Expect geofenced service, remote operations procedures, and traffic authority coordination to be part of the approval package before any safety-driver removal is considered.
What success would look like
For Uber, success in Munich would validate a federated AV strategy where the platform orchestrates multiple autonomy providers city by city, matching vehicle capabilities with local conditions. For Momenta, the pilot is a gateway to Europe’s premium automotive market and a chance to showcase the transferability of its China-honed stack to European roads and regulations.
Key milestones to watch include sustained reductions in human interventions, expansion from fixed corridors to broader service areas, and early cost-per-kilometer gains. If Munich goes well, the companies could target additional German cities with supportive transport agencies and strong testing infrastructure. The broader implication: Germany’s rulebook—strict but navigable—may become the template for scaling Level 4 ride-hailing across continental Europe.