Waymo autonomous taxis to launch in Munich, Germany in 2027

Waymo, the world leader in autonomous taxis, has just announced that it will launch in Germany in 2027. Initially, autonomous vehicles from the Alphabet (Google) subsidiary will drive around Munich manually, allowing its self-driving technology to adapt to this new setting.

A subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, Waymo is the leading name in autonomous taxis. It already has a substantial presence in the United States, where it says it completes more than 500,000 journeys every week. Waymo is now gradually expanding into Europe. As it already prepares to launch in London, Google’s sister company has announced this week that it will also introduce its robotaxi service in Munich, Germany.

The rollout will take place in several stages. At first, Waymo vehicles will be driven manually on Munich’s streets. This initial phase, due to begin within weeks, will enable the company to create detailed maps of the city’s roads. “This validation period will help ensure the Waymo Driver is well-adapted to Munich’s specific driving conditions before we plan to open commercial ride-hailing service to the public toward the end of 2027,” the company explains.

Once its technology has been adapted to Munich’s streets, Waymo expects autonomous driving to reduce road accidents significantly. According to the company, in cities where its driverless taxis already operate, they reduce the number of crashes involving serious injuries by a factor of 16 compared with human drivers. Collisions involving an injured pedestrian would be reduced by a factor of 14, while crashes involving a cyclist would be cut by a factor of 6.

Munich, a symbolic city for Waymo

Munich was not chosen by chance. “Munich is a globally renowned hub for mobility and engineering, and establishing operations here marks an important step in our global expansion,” said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo. “As we prepare for our launch, earning the trust of the community is our top priority. We look forward to investing in local fleet operations, creating highly skilled jobs, and providing safe, reliable service to residents and visitors alike.”

For the Bavarian authorities, Waymo’s decision to select their city is also seen as a form of endorsement. According to Florian Herrmann, head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, the launch of this autonomous taxi service in Munich “underscores Bavaria’s reputation as a leading technology hub.” Bavaria has also committed to improving the regulatory framework, streamlining administrative processes and removing regulatory barriers.

Also worth noting

Waymo will not, however, be the first autonomous vehicle operator in Germany. Through its MOIA subsidiary, Volkswagen has also developed an ID. Buzz optimised for autonomous driving. In July, the company announced a programme enabling Hamburg residents to book trips in autonomous electric vehicles.