Waymo adds Madrid to European robotaxi expansion plans

Waymo is bringing its robotaxi service to Spain, starting with the Madrid region, where it aims to carry its first riders in 2027. That puts Madrid ahead of Toronto, which Waymo announced four days earlier with a 2028 target.

Electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles will appear on Madrid’s streets in the coming days. They will be driven manually at first, then go through supervised validation with trained local specialists behind the wheel. Waymo says it is working with national, regional and local authorities, briefing emergency services and investing in local operations.

“Madrid is an incredible capital of innovation and an integral part of our growing global presence,” said Tekedra Mawakana, Co-Chief Executive of Waymo. “We share the region’s commitment to safer, more accessible, and zero-emission mobility, and we look forward to serving as a collaborative partner in achieving those goals.”

Spanish road safety groups FESVIAL and AESLEME have backed the move. Waymo says it has completed more than 20m trips and driven 400m autonomous kilometres, with 95% fewer serious-injury crashes than human drivers in the cities where it operates.

Madrid gives Waymo a third European market after London and Munich, and two new international markets in a week show how central overseas expansion has become. Unlike in Toronto, where Element will run the fleet, Waymo has not yet named an operations partner in Madrid.

Why this matters:

• International expansion becomes a land grab. Madrid follows a rapid run of moves spanning Munich, London, Tokyo, Singapore and Toronto, suggesting Waymo aims to lock in regulatory relationships in key global cities before Chinese operators and Tesla establish themselves.
• Europe’s patchwork tests the model. Separate launches under Spanish, German and UK frameworks mean Waymo must work through the fragmented national rules that EU efforts toward harmonised Level 4 homologation have yet to resolve.
• Vehicle supply could constrain Europe. Launching on the discontinued Jaguar I-Pace raises questions about Waymo’s European fleet pipeline, since its newer Zeekr-built vehicle would face EU duties on China-built EVs.