Momenta Level 4 Autonomous Driving Testing Permit Germany Approved For Urban Road Trials

Chinese autonomous-driving company Momenta has received approval for the Momenta Level 4 Autonomous Driving Testing Permit Germany from the Federal Motor Transport Authority, or KBA, allowing Level 4 autonomous-driving tests on urban roads nationwide. The company stated that it became the first Chinese company to obtain Level 4 testing authorization covering urban roads across Germany. The approval enables broader testing operations without separate applications in individual cities and aligns safety validation standards with the European Union regulatory framework.

The KBA approval is considered a significant milestone because the regulator is recognized as one of the world's most stringent transport safety authorities. The authorization reflects confidence in Momenta's autonomous-driving technology maturity and its ability to meet strict safety requirements. Momenta CEO Cao Xudong highlighted that Germany represents a global benchmark for autonomous-driving regulations, with a comprehensive approach focused on public safety and technological validation.

Momenta's autonomous-driving platform uses a world model designed to understand road environments rather than only detect objects. According to the company, the system can anticipate how physical surroundings may evolve and predict interactions between different road participants. This approach supports advanced autonomous driving applications by improving decision-making capabilities in complex traffic conditions and enabling scalable deployment across multiple vehicle categories.

The new permit creates opportunities for Momenta to introduce robotaxi services in Germany through its partnership with Uber Technologies. Munich is planned as the first European city for the service. Uber has increased its financial exposure to Momenta through its subsidiary SMB Holding Corporation during Momenta's Hong Kong IPO placement, receiving additional shares that increased its total holding to about 1.19 million shares.

Based on the IPO price of HK$295.6 per share, Uber's stake in Momenta is valued at approximately HK$351 million. Momenta was listed in Hong Kong on July 8, raising about HK$6.8 billion, with around 20% of proceeds allocated toward accelerating robotaxi commercialization. The company has spent years expanding its international presence and developing partnerships with global automotive manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Volkswagen Group.

Mercedes-Benz became Momenta's first international automaker investor in 2017, supporting the company's global autonomous-driving ambitions. Beyond Uber, Momenta's robotaxi ecosystem includes Grab, Lumo and EnjoyGo Technology, the ride-hailing unit of SAIC Motor. Grab also made a strategic investment in Momenta, strengthening collaboration around future autonomous mobility services and commercial deployment opportunities.

Momenta's long-term strategy focuses on using a single world-model-based platform to support large-scale deployment of passenger vehicles, robovans, robotrucks and robotaxis while expanding into embodied intelligence. The company has also started operating robovans in Suzhou for express delivery and overnight delivery services, demonstrating broader applications of its autonomous-driving technology beyond passenger transportation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Momenta's Level 4 testing permit in Germany enable?
Momenta's Level 4 testing permit in Germany enables nationwide urban road trials without separate city approvals, supporting autonomous driving validation and future robotaxi deployment. The authorization from KBA aligns testing procedures with European regulatory standards and strengthens confidence in the company's technology. It also creates a pathway for commercial autonomous mobility services through partnerships with companies such as Uber Technologies while expanding Momenta's global presence.