WeRide and Uber Bring Robotaxis to Madrid - Spain's First Commercial Pilot Launching Soon

Uber and WeRide have announced Spain's first commercial robotaxi pilot programme, launching in Madrid later this year with support from the regional government. The service will be integrated directly into the Uber app, allowing customers to book autonomous rides through the familiar platform. The Madrid deployment represents a three-way partnership between WeRide, which provides the autonomous driving technology, Uber handling customer demand and app integration, and local fleet operator AVOMO managing ground operations. Safety operators will initially supervise all rides, with fully driverless operations planned as the service meets regulatory milestones. This marks the fourth city in Uber and WeRide's ambitious 15-city partnership agreement, with eleven additional markets planned by 2030. The collaboration demonstrates a clear division of responsibilities that could serve as a template for autonomous vehicle deployments globally. Europe has rapidly transformed from a robotaxi afterthought to a competitive market in less than a year. WeRide already operates driverless services in Switzerland and runs a national programme in Slovakia, making Spain the third European country in its expanding network. Whilst industry attention remains focused on developments in San Francisco, European robotaxi operations are quietly building substantial presence across the continent.