Waymo is getting ready to hit Germany with its robotaxi service, as it plans to begin testing vehicles in Munich in the coming weeks before a potential commercial launch late next year. The company said its vehicles will initially be driven manually through Munich to help create high-definition maps of the city’s streets. After mapping is complete, testing will begin with trained specialists behind the wheel, all as part of Waymo’s way of adapting its self-driving system to local roads and traffic conditions. If testing and regulatory approvals go as planned, Waymo says it expects to begin offering fully autonomous rides to the public toward the end of 2027. The move represents yet another step in Waymo’s expansion beyond the United States, where the company has established itself as the largest commercial robotaxi operator. Waymo says it has now provided more than 20 million paid and public trips and is completing hundreds of thousands of commercial rides each week. "Munich is a world-class hub for mobility and engineering, and becoming part of this city marks an important milestone in our global expansion," Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said. Waymo is working with local, Bavarian, and German federal officials to obtain the regulatory approvals required for commercial service. The company also plans to establish a local fleet operations center and create jobs in Munich, though the timing of such is unclear, nor are the number of people who would benefit from working with Waymo. Germany has already established a legal framework allowing Level 4 autonomous vehicles to operate in defined areas under certain conditions, making it one of Europe’s more accommodating markets for commercial self-driving technology. Still, Waymo won’t be the first company to offer autonomous rides in Europe. Uber, working with Croatian autonomous-driving company Verne and China’s Pony.ai, launched a robotaxi