WeRide has obtained Spain’s first license to operate L4‑level autonomous passenger vehicles, with its robotaxi commercial service set to launch within the year.

On September 10, WeRide, a global leader in autonomous driving technology (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800), together with international mobility giant Uber (NYSE: UBER) and AVOMO, the autonomous‑driving division of Moove Cars Group, jointly announced that, with the support of the Madrid government, the three parties have officially obtained Spain’s first L4‑level autonomous passenger‑car operating license issued by the Spanish Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) under the ES‑AV framework, authorizing them to deploy vehicles on public roads.
This marks Spain’s first-ever national‑level opening of access for L4‑level robotaxis, setting a new regulatory benchmark for the commercialization of autonomous driving in Europe. Spain’s inaugural commercial robotaxi service has cleared a critical regulatory hurdle and entered the final sprint toward launch. As one of Europe’s largest mobility markets, Spain welcomes nearly 100 million tourists annually, while Madrid—its capital—boasts robust commuter demand and a mature ride‑hailing ecosystem, providing a strong commercial foundation for the deployment of autonomous mobility services. Madrid is also the fourth city in WenYuan Zhixing’s strategic partnership with Uber. Under the plan, the two companies aim to expand their robotaxi collaboration to 15 cities worldwide by 2030, deploying tens of thousands of robotaxis to deliver safe, reliable autonomous rides to users globally. Once all preparatory work is completed and relevant operational and regulatory requirements are met, WenYuan Zhixing, Uber, and AVOMO expect to launch commercial robotaxi services to the public within 2026. At that time, local Madrid residents will be able to summon a WenYuan Zhixing robotaxi with a single tap through the Uber app. As key operational metrics are progressively achieved, the three parties will continue to expand the service area, advancing fully driverless robotaxi operations to cover Madrid’s core urban districts.

The Madrid project builds on Wenyuan Zhixing’s light‑asset, international expansion model, integrating Wenyuan Zhixing’s autonomous driving technology, Uber’s global mobility platform, and AVOMO’s vehicle‑operation management capabilities to deliver a replicable commercial roadmap for scaling Robotaxi services in high‑value markets worldwide. Subject to regulatory approval, initial deployment and testing will commence first, laying the groundwork for future commercial operations under the DGT’s ES‑AV framework. In the first phase, dozens of GXR Robotaxis—equipped with Wenyuan Zhixing’s latest‑generation autonomous driving system—will be put into trial service, covering several prime areas in Madrid with strong demand for mobility, each vehicle accompanied by an onboard safety operator.
This also marks the first national-level autonomous driving license obtained by WeRide’s Robotaxi GXR in the European Union, establishing a regulatory benchmark for advancing vehicle certification and commercial deployment across additional European markets. With this achievement, WeRide has become the only technology company globally whose products hold autonomous driving licenses in nine countries, including China, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

Li Xuan, CFO and Head of International Affairs at WeRide, stated: “Securing this license in Spain marks another significant milestone in WeRide’s global expansion. To date, we have obtained autonomous driving licenses in nine countries worldwide, further solidifying our position as a global leader in the commercialization of robotaxis. Madrid serves as a key gateway for us to expand into the European market. Moving forward, we will collaborate with partners such as Uber and AVOMO to bring Spain’s first commercial robotaxi service to the public, on schedule by the end of 2026.” Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery at Uber, added: “This license represents an important step in advancing autonomous mobility from planning to real-world deployment. Madrid is rapidly emerging as one of Europe’s most forward‑looking hubs for autonomous‑driving development. We are thrilled to work alongside our partners to turn this vision into reality.”
Manuel Puga, CEO of the Moove Cars Group, stated: “Every successful deployment of autonomous vehicles begins with thorough preparation prior to commercial operations. Our experience managing autonomous fleets in the United States demonstrates that meticulous upfront planning, rigorous operational procedures, and safety‑first execution standards are the foundation for scaling autonomous‑driving services.” Madrid marks the first stop where WeRide and Uber have jointly launched commercial Robotaxi operations in Europe. In June 2026, WeRide and Uber announced the rollout of the region’s inaugural commercial Robotaxi service in Madrid; later that same month, Zurich became the second European city in their partnership, with public Robotaxi services set to launch within 2026, further reinforcing WeRide’s early‑mover advantage in the commercialization of autonomous driving across Europe. Looking ahead, WeRide will continue refining its commercial operating framework tailored to the European market, expanding its fully driverless Robotaxi services to other European cities and gradually building a scalable, cross‑city global Robotaxi network.

Reposted from Sina Auto

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