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Waymo starts in Munich – is a robotaxi operation in Germany on the horizon?
Waymo has formally started setting up its operations in Germany. According to a registry entry, Waymo Germany GmbH was registered with the Munich Local Court on June 15, 2026. The articles of association had already been entered into on May 13, 2026. According to the information in the register, the company is to offer ride services with autonomous vehicles and to support corresponding third-party offerings.
The move is seen as another signal of the Alphabet group's international expansion of its robotaxi division. According to company statements, Waymo is currently carrying out around 500,000 paid rides per week in eleven U.S. cities. By year's end, the number is expected to rise to one million rides per week.
Recruiting indicates operational preparations
Alongside the founding, there are increasing indications of concrete preparations for a possible operation in Germany. Thus, the mobility provider Transdev in Munich is seeking an operations manager for autonomous driving. The company reports that it transports around 200 million passengers annually by bus and regional trains.
A collaboration between Waymo and Transdev has not yet been confirmed. However, observers see potential points of contact for a partnership in the job postings and the existing operating structures.
The staffing agency WIFI is also seeking test drivers as well as driving instructors for autonomous vehicles in Berlin and Munich. According to the advertisements, the activities are to take place on real roads. The positions, initially set for one year, can be extended. A direct connection to Waymo has not yet been demonstrated.
Germany as a potential building block in the Europe strategy
The establishment of the German subsidiary fits into the company's international expansion. While London is considered the first larger market outside North America and Waymo works with local taxi partners in Tokyo, Germany could play a special role within the European regulatory framework.
According to the company, Waymo has been using a so-called Foundation Model in production operation since the end of 2025. The system is based on real driving data and is intended to improve the performance of the autonomous driving features. The costs for the deployed driving technology are now less than $20,000 per vehicle, according to the company.
New vehicle platform for robotaxi deployment
Alongside its market expansion, Waymo is working on a renewal of its vehicle fleet. With the Ojai model, the company unveiled for the first time a vehicle designed specifically for robotaxi operation. The model is produced by the Chinese manufacturer Zeekr. Previously, Waymo mainly relied on retrofitted production vehicles, particularly the Jaguar E-Pace.
Recall in the United States
The expansion takes place against the backdrop of a recall in the United States. In mid-June 2026, Waymo recalled nearly 3,900 vehicles. The incidents involved 13 known cases in which autonomous vehicles unlawfully entered construction zones. The incidents affected both highways and urban streets.
However, from the commercial register entry it cannot be inferred when commercial robotaxi trips in Germany could start. For routine operation, the necessary approvals and regulatory prerequisites are still required. (Source: Golem; Waymo)
Content automatically translated.
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