Spanish transportation authorities have issued the country’s first national permit allowing Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles to operate on public roads, paving the way for commercial robotaxi services in Madrid by the end of the year, according to joint statements released by Uber Technologies and WeRide on Thursday.
Spain Issues First National Autonomous Vehicle Permit
According to announcements from Uber and WeRide, Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) granted the authorization under the ES-AV framework. The regulatory milestone represents the first national approval for WeRide’s GXR autonomous vehicle within the European Union, establishing a benchmark for future vehicle certification across the region. Sarfraz Maredia, global head of autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber, stated that the permit marks an important milestone in bringing autonomous mobility from planning into real-world deployment.
WeRide, Uber, and AVOMO Launch Madrid Deployment
The Madrid initiative marks WeRide and Uber’s first joint autonomous vehicle deployment in Europe, serving as the fourth rollout under a broader partnership targeting 15 cities globally by 2030, according to corporate disclosures. Under the operational structure outlined by Uber, Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide will supply the underlying autonomous driving technology, while Uber will integrate the fleet into its ride-hailing application. AVOMO, the autonomous vehicle division of Spain’s Moove Cars Group, will manage day-to-day fleet operations.
Initial preparation activities authorized by the DGT permit include high-definition mapping, route validation, and operational readiness testing. The first deployment phase will introduce 20 GXR vehicles equipped with WeRide’s autonomous technology across high-demand areas in the Greater Madrid region. Jennifer Li, chief financial officer and head of international at WeRide, noted that the Madrid region serves as a key gateway for the company’s European expansion strategy.
Commercial Launch Timeline and Fleet Operations
Commercial passenger services are slated to begin before the end of the year, contingent upon the successful completion of deployment preparations and regulatory milestones. During the initial testing and rollout phases, vehicles will operate under the direct supervision of an in-car vehicle specialist to monitor system performance on public streets. The deployment relies on an asset-light operating model that separates technology provision, platform dispatch, and physical fleet management among the three partner organizations.
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