The City of Heidelberg has selected Estonian company´s Elmo remotely controlled taxi service as one of its Top Innovations, with operations scheduled to launch on public streets in 2025. This decision follows the introduction of Germany’s new remote driving regulation in June 2025.
Elmo made history in 2022 as the first company in the world to launch a public, road-legal doorstep car sharing service operated entirely via remote control. In June, Elmo achieved another global first by introducing a teledrivable taxi service in Tallinn in partnership with German taxi platform Bliq. The service is based on Elmo’s road-approved teledriving technology and licensed remote operators, offering residents and visitors a safe, innovative, and sustainable new mode of transportation.
Elmo is a global pioneer in road-legal remote driving technology, technology operating in Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Canada, Ukraine and soon in Germany.
The upcoming launch in Heidelberg marks a significant leap forward, with the city’s endorsement validating both the potential of remote driving technology and the maturity of Elmo’s solutions.
The selection was made in close cooperation with the City of Tallinn and Tehnopol Science and Business Park, under the Tallinnovation program.
Teledriving keeps human taxi drivers employed
Remotely driven taxis are up to 5x more cost-efficient and significantly more mature from a technology readiness standpoint compared to fully autonomous taxis. Unlike robotaxis that rely on expensive sensor stacks and complex regulatory approval processes, Elmo’s teledriving system can be deployed quickly and flexibly in real-world urban environments. Additionally, teledriving keeps human drivers employed, while enabling them to work remotely, making operations safer and more cost-efficient for fleet operators.
“Tallinnovation has become an important platform for Tallinn, where smart, city-developing solutions are born. This year’s cooperation with Heidelberg takes its impact to a new level – it shows that our entrepreneurs’ ideas are internationally competitive and worthy of export to other cities. International partnerships strengthen Tallinn’s reputation as an innovative and open city, and offer our companies a valuable springboard to new markets,” said Margot Roose, Tallinn’s Deputy Mayor.
Elmo’s technology has been validated by automotive experts and presented before on public roads in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania, the UAE, Canada, and the U.S.
“The launch of our remote taxi service marks a critical milestone for Elmo,” said Enn Laansoo, Jr., co-founder and CEO of Elmo in June. “This proves that we’ve stayed focused on our deep-tech vision, developed consistently, and never gave up – even when the road got tough. Today, our technology is not just ready; it’s running already in three sectors globally,” added he.
The bridge between Estonian and German business communities
“Adapting the ‘Test in Heidelberg’ programme through cooperation between Heidelberg and Tallinn creates a unique opportunity to connect two vibrant innovation ecosystems. By testing Estonian startups’ solutions in Heidelberg, we can bring fresh ideas to our city, explore their potential in real-life environments, and strengthen the bridge between our business communities,” said Mareike Rimmler, Project Manager of Heidelberg’s innovation team.
“This year’s cooperation with Heidelberg takes its impact to a new level – it shows that our entrepreneurs’ ideas are internationally competitive and worthy of export to other cities.”
Margot Roose, Tallinn’s Deputy Mayor
“We see tremendous potential in this – not only for the participating entrepreneurs but also for our cities, which can learn from each other and shape the future together,” added Mareike Rimmler.
With a population of around 160,000, Heidelberg is renowned for its historic old town, castle, and prestigious research university. It is a leading science and industry hub in Germany, offering a strong economic base and a vibrant innovation ecosystem.
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