Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, announced on Tuesday its intention to launch a robotaxi service in Munich, Germany, following the establishment of a local entity earlier this year. The company must complete several steps, including mapping the city’s streets, conducting autonomous vehicle testing with human safety drivers, and navigating regulatory approvals, before initiating commercial operations. Waymo plans to initially restrict access to its robotaxis to employees, media, and invited guests during the testing phase, with a goal to open the service to the general public by the end of 2027, pending necessary regulatory clearance.
Waymo’s expansion into Germany occurs more than five years after the country enacted legislation to permit driverless vehicles on public roads, becoming the first European Union nation to establish a legal framework for Level 4 autonomous driving, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This framework has positioned Germany as a prominent location for autonomous vehicle testing, attracting companies such as Mobileye and Volkswagen, which currently hold testing permits. However, Waymo itself does not yet possess any permits, and the majority of companies operating in Germany, including U.K.-based Wayve and Israel’s Autobrains, hold Level 3 permits, which allow for conditional automated driving requiring human intervention under certain conditions. Source