Waymo Plans Driver-Led Madrid Tests Within Days Before 2027 Robotaxi Rides

Waymo expects to begin driving manually operated electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles around the Madrid region within days, opening a local testing phase ahead of its targeted 2027 start for passenger rides in Spain.

The first stage will put human drivers behind the wheel. Trained local specialists are then expected to conduct supervised validation runs before Waymo moves toward offering rides.

Waymo is coordinating with national, regional and local authorities in Spain as it prepares the rollout. Its plans include briefing emergency services and investing in local operations. Road safety groups FESVIAL and AESLEME have backed the expansion.

Madrid will be Waymo’s third European market, following London and Munich. The company has also set a 2028 target for its first passenger rides in Toronto. Its earlier Madrid announcement set a 2027 first-rider target; the expected road drives are a near-term step in that plan.

Waymo puts its global activity at more than 20 million trips and 400 million autonomous kilometers. Those figures cover its wider operations and do not describe safety performance in Madrid.

The planned sequence in Madrid is manual driving, supervised validation and then passenger service. The first road drives are expected in the coming days, while the first-rider target remains 2027.