Waymo, WeRide, Uber, and Avomo are preparing to launch their commercial operations with autonomous vehicles in Madrid by late 2026, after obtaining national authorization from the DGT.
According to Diario de Sevilla, Waymo joins WeRide, Uber, and Avomo, the autonomous vehicle division of the Moove Cars Group, in the aim of starting commercial operations in Madrid by late 2026. The four companies have received national authorization from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
The company has stated in a press release that its vehicles are already on their way and that, in the coming weeks, they will begin to circulate on the streets of the Community of Madrid with specialists at the wheel, while collecting the necessary data for fully autonomous services. Waymo expects to offer fully autonomous rides in 2027.
Waymo will operate within the DGT's autonomous vehicle testing framework and will work with this institution and the relevant regional transport authorities. The company asserts that autonomous driving "has already proven to be safe and popular among users."
has already proven that autonomous driving is safe and popular among users
Waymo reports more than 450 million kilometres travelled on public roads in a fully autonomous manner. According to its data, it surpassed 20 million paid rides accumulated by the end of 2025, quadrupling the figure from 2024, and offers more than 500,000 paid rides each week in 15 major cities in the United States. Its commercial fleet exceeds 4,000 electric vehicles.
In Europe, the company plans to start in London in 2026, and then move to Munich. Outside the continent, it aims for Tokyo in 2027 and Singapore and Toronto in 2028.
For WeRide, Uber, and Avomo, the initial phase in Madrid involves deploying twenty vehicles with the latest autonomous driving technology from WeRide. They will operate with a specialist on board in high-demand areas of the Community of Madrid. The companies consider the region a "key gateway" for their European expansion.
a key gateway
Waymo claims that, compared to human drivers, over 400 million kilometres travelled solely with passengers, its system has recorded a 95% reduction in serious or fatal accidents, a 93% reduction in collisions with injured pedestrians, and an 86% reduction in collisions with injured cyclists, regardless of fault.
The company reminds that, according to DGT data, in 2025, 1,119 people died on intercity roads in Spain and 4,936 suffered injuries that required hospitalization. Waymo asserts that the technology can enhance road safety in the city and is committed to rigorous testing, transparency, and collaboration with regulators.
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