Waymo plans to launch robotaxi in Munich and Berlin with an alliance partnership

The Google subsidiary Waymo is pushing hard into Germany and is working on the launch in Munich and probably also in Berlin. To this end, it has now joined forces with the insurer Allianz.

What is already part of everyday life in the US metropolis of San Francisco and in several Chinese cities with over a million inhabitants could also become a reality in Munich and Berlin next year at the latest: The robotaxi pioneer Waymo, which belongs to Google parent Alphabet, has already confirmed its plans for Munich - and, according to a report in "Spiegel", is working on a simultaneous launch in the German capital.

Now Waymo has also entered into a partnership with the insurer Allianz. Waymo announced on Wednesday that Allianz would take over, among other things, the insurance of self-driving vehicles and claims settlement. "Thanks to our collaboration with Allianz Partners, we have the local expertise and operational clout we need to safely, reliably and responsibly launch the Waymo Driver as we grow in Europe," Waymo said in a blog post.

Waymo - along with other providers - is already preparing a launch in London, which should take place this year. Munich could become the first city in continental Europe to use car services to transport passengers without a driver. However, whether and when this actually happens still depends on authorities and approvals. Waymo and other providers have already applied for an operating license for so-called level 4 autonomous vehicles from the Federal Motor Transport Authority. The car completely takes over the driving task within a defined area.

In addition, the respective driving area must be approved. The state authorities in Bavaria and Berlin are responsible for this. According to "Spiegel", Waymo representatives in Berlin have been talking to the Senate about this for a long time. If the vehicles are actually to be used as taxis, passenger transport law would also have to be adjusted.

Competition for buses and trains

Driving service providers such as Uber and Lyft, start-ups such as Wayve from Great Britain and technology companies such as Baidu and Pony.ai from China are also poised to jump into the expected billion-dollar business. Car manufacturers such as Tesla and Volkswagen are also pursuing corresponding plans, but have not yet made much progress in implementing them.

In some respects, Europe's cities are more demanding for autonomous cars than many cities in the USA or China. Traffic is often more confusing, especially in older city centers. Trams, bicycles and pedestrians share the limited space with cars. The autonomous control system must reliably recognize all of these road users. To do this, it processes data from cameras, radar and laser sensors, among other things.

There is also the question of how robotaxis are changing the traffic structure of major European cities. Unlike many cities in the USA and China, there are well-developed and publicly financed local transport systems here. Transport researchers and local politicians are therefore warning that robotaxis could take on bus and train passengers.

There is also concern that additional vehicles will increase traffic. In China and the USA, robotaxis can already be seen driving through cities without passengers while they wait for new orders. A large number of such empty trips could put additional strain on roads and slow down traffic.