Mercedes, China’s Momenta to launch robotaxis in Abu Dhabi

Mercedes-Benz will work with China-based Momenta Global to launch self-driving cars for Lumo Mobility in Abu Dhabi, entering the robotaxi market for the first time.

The collaboration will introduce Level 4 automated driving — where drivers can take their hands and eyes off the road — on the next-generation S-Class, expected to debut in January.

Lumo Mobility is a subsidiary of K2 Group authorized to operate autonomous vehicles in the United Arab Emirates.

The project will use Mercedes’ MB.OS software, allowing partners to develop advanced applications like automated driving on its platform.

Momenta Global, founded in 2016, provides autonomous-driving systems to manufacturers and is also working on a robotaxi pilot with Uber in Germany starting 2026.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Abu Dhabi okays driverless service; German pilot in 2026

Abu Dhabi issued the first two permits for fully driverless Level 4 vehicles on 13 November 2025, the first MENA city to do so 1. Momenta plans a German pilot with Uber in 2026, with rules on safety drivers pending Germany and EU approvals.
The Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (the Abu Dhabi government body overseeing autonomous systems) runs real-time monitoring, which lets Mercedes validate Level 4 performance in the city 1. Uber and WeRide run the Middle East’s largest commercial robotaxi service, covering about half of the core, with up to 20 trips per 12 hour shift 1.
The partnership gives Mercedes driverless data that could speed rollouts once rules align.

MB.OS developer tooling openings, with caveats

The project will use the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), which the company says lets partners build automated driving apps. Mercedes offered Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK) modules via CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager (tools for managing iOS app dependencies) 2. The Mercedes-Benz Mobile SDK is archived, so it is no longer officially supported 2.
Local fleets add 29 commercial partnerships that cover delivery with Talabat and Noon (delivery/e-commerce platforms in the Middle East), cold-chain (temperature-controlled) medical transport, plus logistics uses 3. Openings cover teleoperations (remote human assistance/control), in-cabin payments, predictive maintenance, or cybersecurity.
Vendors in sensor fusion middleware, high-definition (HD) mapping updates, or remote assistance should review terms with Lumo Mobility (a K2 Group subsidiary authorized to operate autonomous vehicles in the United Arab Emirates). Watch MB.OS developer news for UAE rollout.