Waymo will begin testing its electric vehicles in the Madrid region and sets 2027 as the year to welcome its first passengers. The tests will progress in stages under the framework of the DGT.
According to Diario Bitcoin, Waymo, the autonomous driving company of Alphabet, is preparing its first tests in the Madrid region and places 2027 as the year it expects to welcome its first passengers in Spain.
The electric vehicles Jaguar I-PACE will start circulating on the streets of Madrid in the coming days, with trained specialists at the wheel. After that, the company will move on to tests with safety personnel on board, who will check how the system responds to traffic and road characteristics.
The duration of this validation phase will determine when the service for passengers is launched. Waymo will operate under the Spanish framework for testing autonomous vehicles from the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) and is in talks with national, regional, and local authorities. It is also looking to familiarise emergency services with its technology.
Madrid is part of Waymo's expansion outside the United States. The company plans to operate in London this year, in Munich and Tokyo in 2027, and in Toronto in 2028. Paris and Amsterdam have registered for the autonomous service, but do not have a launch date.
In London, Moove manages the fleet while Waymo processes licenses for ride-sharing. In Tokyo, the project has Japan Traffic & Go as a partner and depends on regulatory approval, while in Toronto the partner is Element Fleet Management.
Waymo will not be the first company in Madrid. According to information released by KuCoin, the DGT granted a permit to WeRide last month, and Uber received the first national permits to test autonomous vehicles in Spain. Both companies expect to start commercial services in Madrid by the end of this year, about twelve months ahead of Waymo's target.
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