Europe’s Autonomous Mobility at a Crossroads: Who Will Control the Platforms Behind the Robotaxi Boom?

London is emerging as Europe’s testing ground for autonomous mobility. While international technology companies are establishing their positions, Europe is still searching for its role. Why the real challenge lies not in the technology itself, but in building platforms and ecosystems, is explained by Augustin Friedel, autonomous mobility expert at MHP.

Ann Holz: London is currently at the center of the discussion around autonomous mobility. Why there in particular?

Augustin Friedel: London brings together several factors that make it especially attractive for autonomous mobility. The city has one of Europe’s largest ride-hailing markets, a highly innovation-friendly environment, strong political support, and at the same time a very demanding transportation system. Anyone who can master autonomous driving in London is likely to succeed in many other European cities as well. Narrow streets, dense traffic, and complex urban scenarios make the British capital a real stress test for both technology and operating models. That is why London is currently becoming Europe’s testing ground for robotaxis and autonomous mobility services.

Ann Holz: Does that make London Europe’s first robotaxi market?

Augustin Friedel: Not yet. Most projects are still in the testing and development phase. At present, all vehicles continue to operate with safety drivers or operators on board. Nevertheless, London is already highly relevant. Even though commercial scaling has yet to happen, the strategic positions for the future market are currently being established there. In that sense, London is less proof of the success of autonomous mobility and more the place where the race is visibly beginning.

Ann Holz: Who is competing in this race?

Augustin Friedel: We are currently seeing different business models emerge. Mobility platforms such as Uber and Lyft are forming partnerships with technology providers in order to scale as quickly as possible. Other companies are pursuing a more integrated approach, aiming to control the technology, operations, and customer experience themselves. What is interesting is not only how these strategies differ, but also what they have in common: nobody sees autonomous driving as an isolated vehicle project. Everyone is building platforms and ecosystems.

Ann Holz: What do you mean by “ecosystem”?

Augustin Friedel: Autonomous mobility only works when multiple components operate together simultaneously. It involves autonomous systems, the vehicles themselves, infrastructure, fleet operations, financing, maintenance, customer access, and digital platforms. That is why I often say: Level 4 is not a product launch. Level 4 is the launch of a complete ecosystem. The real challenge is not putting a handful of autonomous vehicles on the road. The challenge is operating thousands of vehicles safely and profitably.

Ann Holz: Why is international expansion accelerating right now?

Augustin Friedel: There are several reasons. First, the technology has become significantly more mature. The latest generations of AI-based systems can increasingly be transferred to new traffic environments and cities. Second, vehicle availability is improving. New partnerships between technology companies and vehicle manufacturers are creating the foundation for larger fleets. Third, Europe currently faces a strategic vacuum. At the moment, there is no European player capable of scaling a complete Level 4 ecosystem across multiple cities in the near term. And fourth, many companies from China and the United States are looking beyond their home markets for additional growth opportunities.

Ann Holz: What role are Chinese companies playing?

Augustin Friedel: An increasingly important one. Baidu is unlikely to be the last Chinese player to target European markets. Companies such as WeRide, Pony.ai, and Momenta are also pursuing international expansion ambitions. When looking at robotaxi programs worldwide, most of the operational momentum is currently concentrated in China and the United States. Europe still plays a relatively minor role.

Ann Holz: Does that mean Europe is falling behind?

Augustin Friedel: No. Europe still has the situation very much in its own hands. The real challenge is not the technology itself. European manufacturers, suppliers, and technology companies possess many of the capabilities required. The issue is largely organizational. International competitors often think in terms of platforms and ecosystems. Europe, by contrast, still tends to think in terms of projects.

Ann Holz: What exactly do you mean by that?

Augustin Friedel: Many companies are highly successful at developing vehicles or individual technologies. Autonomous mobility, however, follows a different logic. Long-term success will not be determined solely by the quality of a vehicle. What matters are access to data, platforms, customer relationships, fleet utilization, and operational scalability. That is why a provocative but important observation is this: international competitors think in platforms. Europe still too often thinks in projects.

Ann Holz: What would that mean for the European automotive industry?

Augustin Friedel: This is ultimately about nothing less than future control over value creation. Whoever controls the autonomous driving system, whoever operates the mobility platform, and whoever owns the direct customer relationship will also control data, digital services, and revenue models in the future. As a result, power is gradually shifting away from the vehicle itself toward technology and customer platforms. For Europe’s automotive industry, the key question is therefore not only who will build the cars, but who will operate the platforms on which autonomous mobility is based.

Ann Holz: What role can Germany play in this market?

Augustin Friedel: Germany will play an important role, although probably not through a nationwide rollout. Autonomous mobility will initially grow city by city and use case by use case. Munich, in particular, is an exciting example. The city uniquely combines automotive industry expertise, technology companies, start-ups, capital, and public attention. As a result, Munich could become Germany’s showcase for autonomous mobility.

Ann Holz: What does Europe need to do now?

Augustin Friedel: First, Europe must recognize that autonomous mobility is no longer a traditional automotive topic. Technology alone is not enough. Europe needs stronger partnerships, clearly defined ecosystems, and a shared understanding of which strategic positions need to be occupied. The primary challenge is not a lack of funding. Nor is it fundamentally a lack of technology. What is missing above all is organization, determination, and a platform mindset.

Ann Holz: Finally, what is your most important message?

Augustin Friedel: Europe’s industry should not primarily ask when autonomous mobility will become a multi-billion-euro market. The more important question is who will own the platforms, data, and customer relationships when that market emerges. Because autonomous mobility will come to Europe. The open question is whether Europe will actively shape it or ultimately become merely a user of it.