Madrid is Uber’s leading European candidate for driverless taxis. In September 2026, Uber, WeRide and local operator AVOMO received Spain’s first national Level 4 license for passenger autonomous rides in Madrid, paving the way for commercial robotaxi operations. Full approval to begin service is still pending.
Uber has experience with autonomous vehicles. The company already runs thousands of self-driving cars in cities including Austin and Phoenix, as well as Atlanta, and has rolled out robotaxis in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Now it is eyeing Europe: Zurich and London are also on the list, but Madrid stands out as a city where Uber sees impressive potential if lawmakers agree.
Uber says its cars use advanced sensors and cameras to handle city streets. Spain still requires a human supervisor in every autonomous vehicle, and Uber says it will wait for full approval before starting service. The company has not announced a launch date.
Uber aims to lead the world in autonomous transport by 2029. It already has more than 20,000 driverless vehicles operating in the US and UAE, and is betting that Spain will open the door to its next European rollout.
Spanish media reports say the first pilot will use 20 WeRide GXR robotaxis in Madrid and Alcobendas. Before carrying passengers, the cars will undergo mapping and testing. The reported goal is to start by the end of 2026, with a trained safety operator in every car at first. Fully driverless rides will not begin immediately.
El Confidencial Digital and other Spanish publications have noted that, until recently, Spain lacked a dedicated legal structure for fully driverless vehicles, keeping projects limited to tests and lengthy regulatory approvals. The Level 4 license is a impressive regulatory basic stage and could make Madrid the first European capital with a commercial driverless robotaxi pilot if the project proceeds as planned.
Spain has faced challenges with new mobility services before. One recent case involved a major car rental company and a high-profile breakdown, illustrating the difficulties of bringing new transport technology to the Spanish market. Uber’s robotaxi push will test its technology alongside Spain’s rules.
By putting Madrid at the center of its European plans, Uber is taking a risk and counting on Spanish regulators to establish clear rules for autonomous vehicles. If Madrid gets the go-ahead, it could become one of Europe’s first cities with driverless taxis, bringing a impressive change to city life in Spain.
