Will Munich’s streets soon be driverless? One might think so, at least, if you believe all the announcements made in recent months. Following in the footsteps of MVG and Uber, Google subsidiary Waymo now also wants to bring autonomous transportation to Munich. The first tests are set to begin in the coming weeks.
Waymo’s plans
Waymo’s robotaxis have been in commercial operation on U.S. roads since 2020. They now complete up to 500,000 trips a week without a person behind the wheel. Now, the Alphabet Inc. subsidiary is on an expansion course and plans to bring its service to Munich by the end of 2027. To this end, the first trips by the autonomous taxis are set to take place in the coming weeks—initially still with a driver on board.
These initial tests are designed to allow the vehicles to map the city’s streets so that the autonomous system can navigate on its own later on. To this end, trained drivers will manually operate the taxis through Munich without passengers. So you’ll have to be patient a little longer before you can hop into a driverless car for the first time.
The Future in Munich
Waymo has already successfully completed these test drives in London and plans to launch its ride-hailing service there later this year. If Munich follows suit, our city would be the second in Europe and the first on the European mainland where Waymo taxis would be operating. The Bavarian capital is a hub of outstanding mobility and engineering, according to CEO Tekedra Mawakana. The company places great importance on gaining the trust of the local population while providing a safe and reliable service.
Whether the vehicles will actually be cruising through Munich by 2027 ultimately depends on the Federal Motor Transport Authority and the relevant authorities. They must give the green light for final approval. Waymo’s competitors Uber and Lyft also want to bring driverless ride-hailing to the city on the Isar, and MVG is planning autonomous buses. As a result, transportation in our city could look very different in the future.
