Community of Madrid approves 100 robotaxis

The Community of Madrid has approved a pilot program for robotaxis to begin by the end of 2026, according to elEconomista and an EFE report carried by Spanish media. The plan allows between 50 and 100 driverless vehicles to operate in the region, with Uber, Cabify and Bolt participating in the deployment. Uber had previously said Madrid would be among the cities where it planned autonomous-vehicle service in 2026. The Madrid move gives Spain its clearest timetable yet for public robotaxi operations. The reporting says the vehicles would use level-5 automation in the pilot, meaning no human driver would be needed on board, though the exact launch zones and first operating conditions have not been publicly detailed. The regional government has not, in the material reviewed, published a full public rulebook for routes, fares or passenger access. (eleconomista.es) ### Why is Madrid doing this now? May 24 reporting in elEconomista said the regional government wants to start testing robotaxis at the end of 2026, placing Madrid alongside cities in the United States and China where driverless taxi services already operate. The article said the initiative is meant as a trial project rather than an immediate full-scale commercial launch. (eleconomista.es) February 11 reporting by Euronews said Uber was already in talks with Madrid authorities to define the regulatory and operating framework. That suggests the public approval reported this week follows months of planning between the company and local officials. ### Who is actually involved in the Madrid rollout? Uber, Cabify and Bolt are the companies named in the Spanish reports as participants in the Madrid project. elEconomista said Uber would act as a provider of the robotaxi service and noted that Uber has agreements with several autonomous-vehicle companies, including Alphabet’s Waymo and Baidu through Apollo Go. (eleconomista.es) (es.euronews.com) July 15, 2025, is the date Uber and Baidu announced a multi-year partnership to deploy thousands of Baidu Apollo Go autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform outside the United States and mainland China. Uber said at the time that the first deployments under that agreement were expected in Asia and the Middle East later in 2025, not specifically in Spain. That means Apollo Go is a plausible technical link for Madrid, but neither the Uber-Baidu release nor the materials reviewed explicitly says Madrid will use Baidu vehicles. (eleconomista.es) ### What does “100 robotaxis” actually mean? The most concrete figure in the reporting is the ceiling of 100 vehicles. elEconomista and EFE both described the Madrid plan as a deployment of between 50 and 100 autonomous cars by late 2026. That is a pilot-scale fleet, not a citywide replacement for conventional taxis or ride-hailing vehicles. (investor.uber.com) Spain’s national testing structure also appears to matter. MARCA, citing EFE, reported that the traffic authority DGT has designed a three-phase testing program for these vehicles, with the final stage allowing more than 10 robotaxis to operate at the same time under remote supervision. That suggests Madrid’s regional approval still sits inside a broader national testing framework. (eleconomista.es) ### What is still unclear before launch? Madrid officials and Uber have not, in the material reviewed, specified which neighborhoods will get the first rides, whether safety operators will be used in early phases, or how riders will be told a trip is driverless. Euronews said Uber had not detailed the initial operating areas or whether safety drivers would be present at first. (marca.com) Late 2026 is the next firm milestone in the reporting. The companies named so far are Uber, Cabify and Bolt, while the technology partnerships cited around Uber include Waymo and Baidu’s Apollo Go; further operating details are expected to depend on Madrid authorities and Spain’s testing regime. (eleconomista.es) (es.euronews.com)