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Mercedes Begins S‑Class Robotaxi Tests in Abu Dhabi as Waymo Keeps Lead and Stellantis–Bolt Map Europe Plans

Partnership-built Level‑4 services in geofenced zones are becoming the playbook for early robotaxi rollouts.

Overview

  • Mercedes will field Level‑4 S‑Class shuttles with Momenta’s autonomous software, selling the cars while Abu Dhabi operator Lumo runs the fleet.
  • Initial deployments start in Abu Dhabi after a test phase, with Mercedes examining a broader robotaxi ecosystem leveraging Nvidia technology.
  • Stellantis and Bolt announced a European Level‑4 program with test vehicles from 2026, staged industrial scaling targeted around 2029, and a Bolt platform goal of 100,000 AVs by 2035.
  • Waymo remains the operational leader with roughly 2,500 robotaxis active across U.S. cities and a stated plan to expand to London in 2026.
  • Waymo confirmed recent real‑world developments, including a passenger giving birth en route in a driverless car in San Francisco and a shift to more assertive driving behavior acknowledged by a product director after reports of a police stop.