The future of transportation is coming, and that future is embodied in the luxurious, leather-covered comfort of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The German automaker is officially entering the robotaxi business by blending the high-tech demands of driverless systems with the uncompromising standards of the S-Class sedan.
Software Opening the Door to Level 4 Autonomy: MB.OS
Mercedes has partnered with Chinese software company Momenta to launch a new driverless shuttle service. The plan is to initially operate a fleet of these highly automated vehicles in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Operations will be run by local partner Lumo, which has already obtained the necessary approval to operate autonomous EVs in the UAE. Following a successful initial testing phase in Abu Dhabi, the companies aim to expand the service to other markets worldwide.
The entire project is built on the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and its digital architecture. The key enabler is the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), a “chip-to-cloud” software platform developed in-house by the company that controls every part of the vehicle, from the infotainment system to autonomous driving and charging. This powerful system enables what the industry calls SAE Level 4 automation.
What does Level 4 mean? Simply put, the vehicle can handle all driving tasks entirely on its own, but only within a specific, defined area or under specific conditions. The human driver becomes a passenger and doesn’t need to be ready to take over. If the vehicle encounters a situation it cannot handle, it will safely pull over and stop instead of handing control back to the human.
To achieve this high level of autonomy, S-Class test vehicles feature a dedicated sensor array. This array includes LiDAR, conventional radar sensors, and cameras. This multi-sensor setup provides the vehicle with a continuous, complete, and highly detailed picture of the world around it, which is vital for safe, fully automated operation.
The new robotaxi service is just one part of Mercedes-Benz’s larger plan for autonomous driving. The company also has other SAE Level 4 projects, some focusing on commercial applications and others on systems for regular customers buying their EVs. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz is exploring a separate Level 4 ecosystem based on the powerful Nvidia Drive AV platform, leveraging a long-standing partnership with technology giant Nvidia.
Mercedes-Benz was the first international car manufacturer to receive internationally valid certification for SAE Level 3 conditional autonomous driving with its DRIVE PILOT system. Level 3 means the driver can take their eyes off the road under certain conditions, but be ready to take back control when the system requests it. The DRIVE PILOT system is planned to be upgraded to operate at speeds up to 130 km/h within the next five years.
The company sees the S-Class as the perfect vehicle for this “driver experience.” Using its flagship model, it will offer a luxurious and carefree way to travel, thus transforming time spent in traffic into time dedicated to relaxation or work. This partnership between Mercedes-Benz, Momenta, and Lumo represents a key moment in the rise of automation. As EVs become the norm, the field of competition for manufacturers is shifting from simply powertrains to software and automated experiences.
