Waymo robotaxi in Berlin 2026: tests, permits and planned 2027 launch
Waymo is considering a Berlin robotaxi pilot with up to 50 vehicles in 2026, while internal city documents point to a possible commercial service in 2027.
Up to 50 Waymo vehicles could take to the streets of Berlin in test mode as early as 2026. According to internal documents from the Berlin administration reviewed by manager magazin and Der Spiegel, the company is exploring a robotaxi launch in the German capital after officially confirming Munich. The documents point to 2027 for a commercial service.
However, a Berlin launch cannot yet be considered officially announced. Waymo told German journalists only that it wants to expand the service to other cities in the country, without confirming specific dates. Berlin officials, meanwhile, describe the talks as “far advanced” and consider the start of testing before the end of the year possible.
For Munich, the schedule has already been confirmed by Waymo itself. The vehicles will first be driven manually through the city to collect mapping data, followed by Waymo Driver tests with a specialist behind the wheel. The company aims to open a fully autonomous commercial service toward the end of 2027.
Berlin suggests that Germany could become more than a one-off European experiment for Waymo and instead develop into a market spanning several major cities. On September 15, the company also announced a partnership with Allianz Partners to build a European framework for insurance, claims handling and safety research. Waymo already completes more than 500,000 fully autonomous rides per week.
Between these plans and driverless passenger rides lies the regulatory stage. Testing and a future commercial Level 4 service require the necessary approvals from federal and state authorities, while carrying passengers also requires the relevant commercial passenger-transport permit. For Berlin, the next verifiable step therefore remains test operations rather than a passenger robotaxi launch.