Momenta Global, a Chinese autonomous driving company backed by Mercedes-Benz, is preparing to scale its robotaxi operations across several international markets. The company expects its fleet to grow from hundreds of vehicles at the end of 2026 to several thousand by the close of 2027. Leadership sees Dubai, additional European cities, and Japan as key priorities for the next phase of expansion, positioning the firm for a broader global footprint.
Current Robotaxi Footprint
Shuo Xie, head of Momenta's robotaxi business, said the company currently operates more than 100 robotaxis across 3 countries. Testing is underway in 5 Chinese cities, as well as in Munich and Abu Dhabi. These deployments represent an early stage for the robotaxi unit, which sits alongside Momenta's advanced driver-assistance software business serving automakers around the world.
Expansion Plans and Fleet Growth
By the end of next year, Momenta aims to have several thousand robotaxis on the road, according to Xie. The company is in talks with a few European cities for further expansion and plans to deploy vehicles in Dubai next year. Japan is also being treated as a priority market as the company looks to move beyond its existing testing locations and build commercial scale.
Business Model and Partnerships
Momenta operates 2 main business lines: advanced driver-assistance software sold to automakers and an emerging robotaxi fleet. The company was founded by a former Microsoft researcher and counts Toyota and BYD among its key partners. These relationships support revenue generation today while the robotaxi business builds toward larger-scale commercial deployment.
Competitive Landscape
Momenta competes with Alphabet's Waymo, China's Pony.ai, and other established players in the global robotaxi industry. The company is positioning itself to challenge these rivals by leveraging its automaker relationships and custom technology development. The robotaxi market remains competitive internationally, with multiple companies investing heavily in autonomous fleet operations today.
Financial Performance After Hong Kong Listing
In July, Momenta raised approximately US$751 million through an initial public offering in Hong Kong. Its shares have since fallen about 45% from the IPO price, partly due to investor caution surrounding Hong Kong-listed AI stocks. The company remains unprofitable as it continues to invest heavily in research and development for autonomous driving systems.
Custom Chip Development With XHeart
Momenta has been working with chip company XHeart to develop processors designed specifically for its autonomous-driving software. Xie said the cost of these chips should be significantly lower than those of equivalent computing power from Nvidia. XHeart is now working on a next-generation chip called the X9, which is expected to support future global robotaxi deployments across multiple regions.
Global Ambitions and Market Outlook
Scaling to thousands of robotaxis across China, Europe, the Middle East, and Japan would significantly broaden Momenta's operational footprint. The company's expansion comes as competition intensifies among autonomous mobility providers and automakers invest in software-defined vehicles. Regulators in each target market will play an important role in determining how quickly commercial robotaxi services can launch and scale.
Momenta's planned growth signals a clear ambition to become a major global autonomous mobility provider. The company will need to manage regulatory approvals, technology costs, and competitive pressure while scaling operations across multiple regions. Its ability to execute on fleet expansion, chip development, and international partnerships will be central to its long-term performance.
Source: Reuters