Munich — A US physical‑AI company and one of the city’s largest taxi operators have taken a concrete step toward bringing robotaxis to German streets. On October 27, 2026 Tensor Auto Inc. and Münchner Taxi Zentrum (MTZ) signed a letter of intent (LOI) to deploy Tensor’s purpose‑built Robocar as autonomous taxis in Germany, with MTZ operating the service under its own brand. This matters for drivers, fleet managers and city planners across Germany and Austria because the deal explicitly preserves operator control over customers, fleets and data — a key political and commercial demand in Europe.
What the LOI says — numbers and model
The LOI names an initial target of up to 500 Tensor Robocars in German cities as a first step, and includes an ambition to place 10,000 additional Robocars with European operators within 24 months after the vehicle becomes available in Europe. The planned deployment is “subject to definitive agreements and Level 4 regulatory approval in Germany,” the partners say. Tensor will sell the vehicle while providing autonomous driving as a recurring subscription (Autonomous Driving as a Service, ADaaS); MTZ will run the fleet and keep the customer relationship.
The PR highlights the advantages of a purpose‑built Robocar for taxi duty — automated sensor cleaning, self‑parking and maintenance checks to maximise road time — and describes the vehicle as engineered for both fleet use and private ownership. The partners frame the arrangement as an "operator‑led" model so that local taxi companies retain brand, operations and data sovereignty.
Why Munich and MTZ matter
MTZ is positioned as a strategic entry partner: the LOI notes MTZ has more than 150 employees, has worked with cities on commercial operations for over 40 years, and launched one of Germany’s first all‑electric premium taxi fleets in 2018. MTZ’s CEO Gregor Beiner also chairs Taxis 4 Smart Mobility (T4SM), a coalition of taxi organisations across six European countries, which the partners say could accelerate roll‑out across the continent.
