Waymo picks Munich for first EU robotaxi launch

Waymo is planning to launch its robotaxis in Munich next year, the US tech company’s first market in the EU, as Germany tries to bolster its struggling automotive sector.

The Alphabet-owned company announced on Tuesday that it aims to start commercial ride-hailing services in the German city towards the end of 2027 as it steps up its international push. It is already testing in Tokyo and London.

“Munich is a world-class hub for mobility and engineering, and becoming part of this city marks an important milestone in our global expansion,” said Waymo’s co-chief executive Tekedra Mawakana.

Waymo, which was valued at $110bn in February, is expanding at a rapid pace across the US. Its robotaxi service is live in 11 cities, taking passengers on more than 500,000 journeys every week, and it is preparing to launch in another 20 markets.

European cities are lagging behind the US and China in deploying robotaxis, and Chinese competition has pushed Germany’s once-vibrant auto industry into decline.

The German government is looking to regain the industry’s momentum by embracing technology and has introduced a series of measures in recent years to allow driverless vehicles to operate on its streets.

“Autonomous driving is the key to the mobility of the future,” said Christian Hirte, parliamentary state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport. “We aim to make Germany a global leader in autonomous driving innovation and manufacturing. We have already put in place the legal framework for this.”

Bavaria is home to BMW and Audi’s headquarters, as well as hundreds of automotive suppliers. Several US big tech companies, including Google, Apple and Amazon, also have significant engineering operations in Munich, the Bavarian state capital.

Alongside Waymo’s announcement, Bavaria’s chancellery pledged to “cut red tape and remove regulatory barriers” to real-world deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs).

Waymo said it would soon begin the mapping and training process that precedes its launches, as it works with city, state and federal authorities to win the necessary regulatory approvals.

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The Silicon Valley-based company is joining an increasingly crowded market for AV testing in Germany.

Uber and Israeli start-up Autobrains said in June they planned to launch in Munich, while Lyft-owned Freenow and Apollo Go, Chinese tech company Baidu’s AV unit, have also said they hope to offer rides in Germany soon.

Momenta, another Chinese AV operator that has struck partnerships with Uber and Grab, said last month it had received approval for autonomous testing across the country from Germany’s vehicle safety authority.

Automakers have also targeted German cities as a gateway to expanding AVs across Europe.

Last month, Volkswagen launched its pilot robotaxi service in Hamburg, allowing the city’s preregistered residents to book rides in its ID. Buzz electric campervans. Its robotaxi unit, MOIA, has 100 taxi vehicles in Germany, Norway and the US, and is aiming to have 100,000 vehicles on the road globally by 2033.