Waymo Plans Driverless Taxis in Munich by Late 2027, Its First European City

Key points

• Waymo announced plans on Tuesday to launch public robotaxi rides in Munich, Germany, by the end of 2027.
• Munich will be Waymo's first city in the European Union and its third international market after London and Tokyo.
• Waymo currently operates driverless rides in 11 US cities and is working to expand to 19 more.
• As of March 2026, Waymo's vehicles had completed nearly 221 million fully autonomous miles, meaning miles driven with no human at the wheel.
• The company plans to begin "phased" testing in Munich within the next few weeks, focused on building detailed street maps and training local staff.

Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google's parent Alphabet, is heading to Europe. The company announced Tuesday that it will launch driverless taxi rides in Munich, Germany, before the end of 2027, making it the first city in the European Union to get the service.

Testing kicks off in the next few weeks. Waymo says engineers will spend that time building high-definition street maps of Munich, training local safety specialists, and adjusting the car's software to handle the city's driving conditions, which differ from the wide American roads the system knows best.

Why Munich, and why now?

Munich is Waymo's third announced international city, following London and Tokyo. The company says it picked Munich because of the city's reputation as a hub for car manufacturing and engineering talent.

"Munich is a world-class hub for mobility and engineering, and becoming part of this city marks an important milestone in our global expansion," Waymo co-chief executive Tekedra Mawakana said in a company blog post.

Back home in the US, Waymo already runs driverless rides in 11 cities. Last month it announced plans to add San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa and Denver, with 19 further cities in the pipeline.

As of March 2026, Waymo's fleet had completed nearly 221 million fully autonomous miles across all its markets, first reported by CNBC Tech.

What does this mean for ordinary people in Munich?

Nothing changes for Munich residents yet. The next few weeks are about data collection and staff training, not passenger rides. Public access is targeted for late 2027, and Waymo has not released pricing or pickup zones for the city.

When rides do launch, passengers can expect the same setup Waymo uses in the US: a standard car with no driver, operated entirely by the vehicle's own sensors and software. A remote team monitors the cars, but nobody sits behind the wheel.

Common questions

Is Waymo's technology actually safe enough for European roads?

Waymo's 221 million autonomous miles in the US give regulators a large body of safety data to examine, but European roads bring new challenges including tighter lanes, different traffic laws and unfamiliar signage. That is precisely why Waymo is spending most of 2026 and 2027 mapping and testing before any passenger sits in the back seat.

Will this affect the cost of taxis in Munich?

Too early to say. Waymo has not released fares for Munich, and a single operator entering a market rarely moves prices overnight. Competition and local regulation will shape what passengers eventually pay.