20 million trips, approval from the DGT, and 68% fewer accidents: Google’s driverless taxis arrive in Madrid in just a few days.

20/10/2026 16:30

Updated to

20/10/2026 16:30

If you are interested in technology, you’ve likely heard of Waymo: the Alphabet company—parent to Google—that offers driverless taxi services. It has been operating in several U.S. cities since 2016, partnering with Toyota and Hyundai, and has completed over 20 million paid trips. Even better, a study by the U.S. safety agency IIHS shows that this service experiences 68% fewer accidents compared to an average human driver.

Although it is already in testing in European countries like the UK—where it operates in London—and Germany—in Munich—you will soon see its driverless taxis, featuring the Jaguar I-PACE, on the streets of Madrid. Of course, these tests have received approval from the DGT.

Waymo is the latest driverless taxi service to arrive in Madrid.

The Google company—recall that it reports 68% fewer accidents—will begin operating its driverless taxis in the coming days… with a driver. The goal is to map the streets of Spain’s capital, test potential routes, and conduct operational trials in various areas of Madrid, so as to adapt its taxi service to the city’s traffic, terrain, and signage.

In short, it’s the same service that Uber has already been operating in Madrid for several months. But there is a fundamental difference from Google’s driverless taxi service. That is, Uber plans to launch its own driverless ride-hailing service by the end of this year.

Both initiatives will take place on public roads, in accordance with the testing framework established by the DGT in Instruction VEH 2025/07. Both companies are already in contact with the organization led by Pere Navarro — who has issued a very serious warning to Spanish drivers — to obtain the necessary approvals to offer their driverless taxis.

But Google is taking a more cautious approach, stating that to deploy its technology—which has already facilitated over 20 million paid trips and covered more than 483 million kilometers without a driver—they are “adopting a methodical, gradual approach that prioritizes safety.”

Therefore, in the coming days, people will be able to see these Google vehicles driven by data analysis experts, a necessary prerequisite for their goal of “welcoming our first users in 2027,” the company says in a statement.

A statement in which the company acknowledges its collaboration with DGT, saying, “We are actively working with national, regional, and local authorities throughout our operations, and we will help emergency services get familiar with our technology […]”.

“Madrid is an incredible innovation hub and a vital part of our growing global presence. We are eager to serve the people of Madrid,” said Waymo’s co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana.