Waymo to Launch Driverless Taxi Service in Germany in 2027, Starting With Munich Tests

Waymo, the autonomous driving company under Alphabet, announced on Tuesday plans to launch driverless taxi services in Munich, Germany, in 2027. The company established an entity in Germany several months ago, and its entry into the German market is part of its broader European expansion.

Following Waymo's standard expansion process in other cities, the company will first deploy vehicles with human drivers on Munich roads to complete street mapping, then commence autonomous driving tests with safety drivers on board, and gradually phase out in-car safety drivers once the system matures. After testing is completed, the company will first open trial ride services to employees and invited users, then provide services on a limited scale after obtaining the regulatory approvals required for commercial operations, and ultimately open to all passengers.

In 2021, Germany became the first EU country to establish a legal framework for L4 autonomous driving, permitting driverless vehicles on public roads. According to data from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, several companies including Mobileye and Volkswagen have obtained permits to test autonomous vehicles in the country, but Waymo has not yet secured such permits. Most of the currently approved companies hold L3 permits, such as Wayve and Autobrains, whose vehicles can assume driving tasks under specific conditions but require drivers to take over promptly when the system demands.

Waymo currently operates in 11 US cities and plans to expand to 19 additional cities. Munich is its third international city, following testing in London and Tokyo. As of March 2026, Waymo has completed nearly 2.21 million miles of fully autonomous driving. Separately, Baidu has partnered with Lyft and Freenow to launch autonomous vehicle testing in London.