Waymo announced on August 25, 2026, that it plans to launch a robotaxi service in Munich, Germany. This announcement follows the establishment of a local entity in Germany earlier this year. The company must complete mapping and testing, as well as navigate regulatory requirements, before commencing commercial operations.
Initially, Waymo will manually drive its vehicles to map the streets of Munich, similar to its approach in the 11 other cities where it operates robotaxis. Following the mapping phase, the company will test its autonomous vehicles with human safety drivers present before transitioning to fully driverless operations. During this testing phase, Waymo typically allows employees, media, and invited guests to ride in the vehicles.
Waymo plans to eventually offer limited service to the public, with full commercial operations expected to begin after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals, which it is currently pursuing in collaboration with Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), state authorities, and local officials. The company anticipates launching commercial ride-hailing services by the end of 2027.
Germany's legal framework for driverless vehicles was established over five years ago, making it the first country in the European Union to create regulations for Level 4 autonomous driving. Level 4 autonomy, as defined by the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE), allows the self-driving system to manage all driving tasks without human intervention in specific conditions.
Germany has become a prominent location for autonomous vehicle testing, with several companies, including Mobileye and Volkswagen, holding permits to test their vehicles. However, Waymo currently does not possess any testing permits in Germany. Most companies, including U.K.-based Wayve and Israel's Autobrains, hold Level 3 permits, which require human drivers to be ready to take control under certain conditions.
In addition to Germany, the U.K., particularly London, is emerging as another competitive market for robotaxi services. Waymo has announced plans to launch a commercial service in London in 2026, competing with Wayve and its partner Uber, as well as Chinese tech company Baidu, which is also testing autonomous vehicles in the city as part of its collaboration with Lyft and Freenow.