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According to filings cited by German newspaper F.A.Z., Waymo Germany GmbH was incorporated on 13 May and entered into the Munich commercial register on 15 June, 2026. The purpose of the filing includes offering transport services with autonomous vehicles and supporting the commercial provision of such services by third parties.
Around the same time, job listings for test drivers and vehicle trainers began appearing in Berlin and Munich. Transdev, a mobility operator, posted for an autonomous driving manager focused on the Munich region.
Germany’s Timeline: Late 2027, or 2028 at the Latest
Waymo hasn’t confirmed an exact date publicly. But industry watchers tracking the company’s usual pattern, mapping first, then employee rides, then a careful public rollout, expect Germany’s driverless robotaxi service to open to the public sometime in the second half of 2027. If not then, 2028.
A Waymo spokesperson, responding to questions about the German filing, told Bloomberg: “Waymo has global ambitions, with plans already underway to bring our fully autonomous ride-hailing service to London and Tokyo. We are engaging with officials around the world to explain our technology and lay the groundwork for global operations.”
Beyond Germany: Spain, Portugal, France, and the Netherlands
Alongside Germany, the company also registered Waymo Iberia SL in Madrid on June 11, possibly providing coverage for both Spain and Portugal. Waymo France SARL followed on June 23, based in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, seeded with €100,000 in initial capital. Waymo Netherlands B.V. landed in Amsterdam around the same week.
Each entity carries similar language in its filing: providing autonomous ride-hailing services, plus support for third-party commercial offerings of the same.
None of the filings say when actual cars will appear on Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Dutch streets. Registering a subsidiary and mapping a city are two very different stages. The mapping and testing phase, plus getting local regulators comfortable, generally eats up a year or more before anyone can request a ride.
London: Already Driving, Not Yet Carrying Passengers
The UK is a step ahead of the rest. Waymo began testing on London streets in April 2026 with safety drivers behind the wheel. Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s Head of Business Development, told a London press conference the company has announced intentions to launch in more than 20 cities in the near term, London and Tokyo included.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the technology, writing on social media that plans for self-driving vehicles to carry passengers from spring mark “another vote of confidence” in the country’s approach, one built around “harnessing this technology safely and responsibly to transform travel.”
London isn’t carrying paying passengers in Waymo vehicles yet. But the cars are already out there, learning the roundabouts, how pedestrians use the road, drivers and cyclists behaviors, and the narrow lanes.
Waymo Isn’t Alone in the Race
Competition is already parked in these cities. Uber has partnered with Tel Aviv-based Autobrains to bring robotaxis to Munich. Baidu’s Apollo Go, working through Lyft and Uber, is aiming to test in London in 2026. Wayve, the UK-based autonomous driving startup, is preparing its own London launch and has already logged testing miles on German roads too.
Regardless, Waymo isn’t getting crowded out. If anything, it confirms what’s already palpable: European regulators are opening doors, and every serious robotaxi player wants to be first through them.
What This Means for European Riders
For now, nothing changes for anyone trying to book a ride in Munich, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, or Amsterdam. The vehicles aren’t carrying the public there yet. London riders are the closest to something real, and even there, a human is still behind the wheel.
What has changed is the paperwork trail, and paperwork trails matter. Waymo doesn’t file corporate entities in four countries within two weeks for the fun of it. The Alphabet-owned company really has its eyes set on Europe.
It’s an interesting development. Expect more updates as they come in.
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I’m Dr. Brandial Bright, also known as the AVangelist. As a dedicated and passionate researcher in autonomous and electric vehicles (AVs and EVs), my mission is to educate and raise awareness within the automotive industry. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Fifth Level Consulting, I promote the adoption and innovation of advanced vehicle technologies through speaking engagements, consulting, and research as we progress to level 5 fully autonomous vehicles.
