On February 26, 2026, Mercedes-Benz and Momenta jointly announced a further deepening of their partnership in future mobility, signing an upgraded cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Beijing. That same day, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accompanied by Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG,took a test drive in the new-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Beijing – experiencing the driver assistance system firsthand and praising it highly.
An early mover in intelligent driving, Mercedes-Benz became the first international automaker to invest in Momenta back in 2017. Together, the two sides combine the rigorous "Mercedes-Benz standard" with Momenta's AI algorithm strengths to drive R&D innovation at "China speed." Today, the intelligent driver assistance system jointly developed by the two companies spans highway, urban, and parking scenarios, enabling parking-spot-to-parking-spot intelligent assisted driving. Its pioneering "human-machine co-driving" concept delivers a smoother lane-change feel, keeping the driver in control without the need to abruptly taking over the wheel. The system has already debuted on the all-new Mercedes-Benz all-electric CLA and will roll out across nine new Mercedes-Benz models launching this year – including the all-electric long-wheelbase GLC SUV and the new-generation S-Class – covering every market segment.
Going forward, this "safety-first" intelligent driver assistance system will also receive an upgraded version built on Momenta's R6 Flywheel Big Model Based on Reinforcement Learning, significantly enhancing traffic efficiency and driving smoothness while optimizing instantaneous response in sudden-risk scenarios – delivering an even safer, smoother, and more efficient mobility experience.
During his visit to Beijing, Chancellor Merz made a point of test-riding the new-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, experiencing this urban and highway Navigation-on-Autopilot (NOA) system firsthand and expressing strong recognition for the collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Momenta in the era of automotive intelligence.
Oliver Thöne, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG responsible for Greater China, said: "We are honored to invite Chancellor Merz to test-ride the new-generation S-Class equipped with the intelligent driver assistance system jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and Momenta. China is one of Mercedes-Benz's most important markets. Through years of sustained commitment, we have established the world's largest Mercedes-Benz brand production base and the most comprehensive R&D system outside Germany, serving more than 7 million customers. Looking ahead, we will continue to expand local technology cooperation and accelerate the localization of our entire supply chain – particularly in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, assisted driving, and connected vehicles (V2X). Building on our in-house Mercedes-Benz MB.OS architecture, we will deepen our cooperation with leading Chinese technology companies such as Momenta. With a clear strategy and focused execution, Mercedes-Benz will bring more exclusive models tailored to Chinese customers, equipping both combustion-engine and electric vehicles with the same cutting-edge intelligent technology and industry-leading safety."
Momenta CEO Xudong Cao said: "Since its founding in 2016, Momenta has been committed to creating a better life through breakthrough AI technology. We are delighted to have joined hands with Mercedes-Benz as early as 2017, continuously deepening and expanding our strategic cooperation – deeply integrating Mercedes-Benz's rigorous safety standards and exceptional quality with Momenta's leading AI technology to create an industry-benchmark, safe and efficient intelligent driver assistance system, and continuously helping Mercedes-Benz bring a safer, more reassuring, and more luxurious intelligent mobility experience to Chinese customers. This shared achievement perfectly demonstrates the fusion of the strengths of Germany and China; through our joint efforts, we have achieved a win-win. More importantly, together we are building a better future for the world. I believe our partnership will become a powerful engine propelling broader cooperation between Germany and China."
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