Mercedes-Benz and Momenta are advancing the future of automated mobility with the introduction of an SAE Level-4 robotaxi experience, powered by the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Building on their collaboration in China, the companies have now announced a driverless shuttle service that will begin operations in Abu Dhabi, followed by expansion into additional global markets.
As part of the rollout, the first S-Class test vehicles will soon take to the roads of Abu Dhabi. Local mobility operator Lumo — a subsidiary of technology group K2 and one of the first entities to receive federal approval for autonomous vehicle operations in the UAE — will manage fleet operations for the upcoming robotaxi service.
This initiative complements Mercedes-Benz’s broader portfolio of Level-4 autonomous driving projects, which span both consumer-focused and commercial use cases, generating valuable real-world insights and data.
“With an S-Class robotaxi, we are elevating automated mobility by combining uncompromising safety with premium comfort — setting new benchmarks for the industry and for intelligent transport worldwide. Every project reinforces Mercedes-Benz’s role as a global pioneer in autonomous driving,” said Joerg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer for Development & Procurement.
Mercedes-Benz is exploring further collaborations with industry-leading partners, leveraging its proprietary operating system MB.OS. For instance, Mercedes‑Benz is exploring the future possibilities of an SAE-Level 4 robotaxi ecosystem based on Nvidia’s Drive AV platform to accelerate autonomous driving development. Mercedes‑Benz and Nvidia also have a strong collaboration in the field of automated driving development. Building on its legacy of innovation, the new S‑Class is the ideal vehicle for a chauffeured SAE-Level 4 experience, combining luxury, safety, and cutting-edge technology.
Mercedes‑Benz has been the first international automaker to receive approval for SAE Level 4 automated driving tests on designated urban roads and highways in Beijing. These SAE-Level 4 tests explore advanced technologies in the development of automated driving soft- and hardware. The project studies multi-sensor perception in highly automated driving, verifying system performance under various conditions and exploring the deep integration of perception. Again, Mercedes‑Benz S‑Class models serve as test vehicles, equipped with a sensor array specifically designed for the project, including LiDAR, radar sensors and cameras.
Mercedes-Benz is the pioneer in automated driving and safety
Mercedes‑Benz has consistently set benchmarks through numerous technical innovations since inventing the car in 1886. For example, Mercedes‑Benz has offered advanced driver assistance systems (SAE-Level 2) in its vehicles for years. These systems simplify everyday driving by assisting with speed and distance control, steering and lane changes. With the introduction of MB.OS and MB.DRIVE, even more advanced driver assistance systems like MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO for seamless point-to-point navigation are now available in current models in some markets. In December 2021, Mercedes‑Benz was the first car manufacturer worldwide to receive an internationally valid system approval for conditionally automated driving. DRIVE PILOT is the world’s fastest SAE-Level 3 system, and in the next five years, Mercedes‑Benz targets to offer a version capable of driving at speeds of 130 km/h.
