Momenta targets thousands of robotaxis on public roads by the end of 2027, with a Dubai deployment and launches in additional European cities forming the next stage of its international expansion. The Mercedes-Benz-backed autonomous-driving company currently operates more than 100 robotaxis across three countries.

 

Shuo Xie, head of Momenta’s robotaxi business, disclosed the scale-up plan in an interview published by Reuters on September 30. The company expects its fleet to reach the hundreds by the end of 2026, then several thousand one year later, while Japan remains another priority market.

 

The expansion plan has four measurable milestones:

  • Hundreds of robotaxis by late 2026
  • Several thousand vehicles by late 2027
  • A Dubai deployment beginning in 2027
  • Launches in additional European cities

 

Momenta Targets Thousands of Robotaxis by 2027

Momenta’s current robotaxi footprint remains relatively small. Reuters reported that the company has deployed more than 100 vehicles in three countries and is testing in five Chinese cities, Munich and Abu Dhabi. Moving from that base to several thousand vehicles would require a sharp acceleration in manufacturing, approvals and fleet operations.

 

The company is pursuing two related businesses. It sells advanced driver-assistance software to automakers while developing fully autonomous robotaxis, allowing road data and engineering work from production vehicles to support the smaller autonomous fleet.

 

Momenta’s partners include Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and BYD. Its official account of the strategy says assisted-driving systems using its technology were already installed in 400,000 customer vehicles when it announced Munich testing with Uber in September 2025.

 

That installed base does not convert automatically into driverless service. Robotaxis require remote operations, cleaning, charging, mapping and regulatory clearance in addition to the driving system. The 2027 target therefore measures operational execution as much as autonomous-driving performance.

 

Dubai and Europe Build on Munich and Abu Dhabi

Momenta plans to deploy robotaxis in Dubai in 2027 and is discussing expansion with several European cities. It has not named those cities or disclosed fleet sizes, operating partners or launch dates, so the announcement establishes direction rather than a complete rollout schedule.

 

Munich provides the company’s European starting point. Momenta and Uber announced Level 4 testing there for 2026, describing the German city as a launchpad for expansion into other European markets. Momenta later received Germany-wide testing approval, giving it a broader regulatory foundation than a single municipal pilot.

 

Abu Dhabi gives Momenta existing experience in the United Arab Emirates before it enters Dubai. The company maintains local operations in the capital, while the new Dubai plan would place it in a larger autonomous-mobility market already attracting several Chinese and US-backed robotaxi developers.

 

Japan is also a stated priority. That creates a three-region strategy spanning Europe, the Gulf and East Asia, but each market has different rules for testing, safety operators, liability and commercial passenger service.

 

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The XHeart X9 Chip Could Lower Fleet Costs

Momenta is working with Chinese chip developer XHeart on processors tailored to its autonomous-driving software. Xie told Reuters that chips offering equivalent computing power should cost significantly less than Nvidia alternatives, a potential advantage when hardware must be installed across thousands of vehicles.

 

XHeart is developing a next-generation X9 processor, and Momenta hopes many of its global robotaxis will use the chip within a few years. The company has not published X9 specifications, production timing or comparative benchmarks, so its price and performance claims still need independent validation.

 

The existing X7 platform shows the engineering path. Momenta combines its autonomous-driving stack with the XHeart X7 automotive processor and QNX OS for Safety in a production-oriented system certified to the ISO 26262 ASIL D functional-safety standard.

 

That platform is designed for markets applying demanding vehicle rules, including Europe’s UN R171 framework for driver-control assistance systems. The certification does not approve a robotaxi service by itself, but it demonstrates that Momenta is building hardware and software around recognized automotive-safety processes.

 

Permits and Fleet Economics Will Set the Expansion Pace

Momenta raised about $751 million in a Hong Kong initial public offering in July, giving it fresh capital for research and international deployment. Its shares have since fallen roughly 45% from the offer price, and the company remains unprofitable while spending heavily on development.

 

A fleet of several thousand vehicles could improve utilization of software, mapping and remote-support systems, but it also multiplies capital and operating costs. Lower-cost chips would help only one part of that equation; vehicles, insurance, maintenance and local service infrastructure remain substantial expenses.

 

Competition is intensifying. Waymo, Pony.ai and other robotaxi developers are pursuing many of the same cities, mobility partners and regulatory openings. Momenta’s advantage may depend on using its relationships with established automakers to secure suitable vehicles and local support faster than rivals.

 

The next evidence will come from named European launch cities, Dubai permits and actual year-end fleet counts. For now, Momenta has set a clear benchmark: grow from just over 100 robotaxis to several thousand within roughly fifteen months while proving that its software and emerging chip platform can travel across regulatory systems.