Uber, WeRide and AVOMO announced on September 10, 2026, that Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) had granted the country’s first national permit for Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles on public roads. The Madrid project now moves into mapping, route validation and operational-readiness testing, with an initial fleet planned around 20 WeRide GXR vehicles and an in-car vehicle specialist supervising the first phase.
The permit is a major regulatory step, but the announced work is still preparation and testing. The companies expect commercial operations in Spain by the end of 2026, subject to deployment preparation and further operational and regulatory milestones.
Madrid’s permit starts supervised preparation
The authorization operates under Spain’s ES-AV framework and applies to Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles in the Madrid region. In this context, Level 4 means the vehicle is designed to handle the driving task within a defined operating domain and specified conditions; it does not describe autonomous operation on every road in every situation.
The first phase covers four practical tasks:
- mapping the operating area;
- validating routes;
- preparing the deployment; and
- testing operational readiness.
That sequence matters. A regulatory permit to prepare and test a service is a different milestone from a fully scaled, unsupervised commercial network. The Madrid project’s initial vehicles are planned with a human specialist inside the vehicle.
What the first 20 vehicles are planned to do
The initial fleet is planned to include 20 WeRide GXR vehicles operating in high-demand areas of Greater Madrid. The vehicles are intended to support the mapping, route-validation and readiness work that precedes the companies’ commercial target.
An in-car vehicle specialist is planned to supervise the initial phase. The Level 4 designation describes the vehicle’s intended automation within its authorized operating domain; it does not turn this limited deployment into Level 5 autonomy, which would cover all roads and conditions.
The companies’ stated target is to begin commercial operations in Spain by the end of 2026. That remains a forward-looking plan tied to additional operational and regulatory milestones.
Who does what in the Madrid project
The partnership divides the deployment into distinct roles:
- WeRide supplies the GXR vehicle and autonomous-driving technology.
- Uber provides the mobility platform and related operational infrastructure.
- AVOMO, part of Moove Cars Group, provides autonomous-fleet operations expertise.
- The DGT provides the national regulatory authorization described in the September 10 announcement.
Uber’s role is therefore broader than simply supplying an app. Its autonomous-mobility strategy includes the platform, mapping, fleet tools, operational support and passenger experience that connect a technology partner’s vehicle with a ride-hailing service.
What passengers may experience in Madrid
A March 6, 2026 demonstration in Abu Dhabi showed a possible passenger workflow for an Uber autonomous ride. The user selected an “Autonomous” category in the Uber app, unlocked the WeRide vehicle with a smartphone and rode while the vehicle navigated traffic autonomously.
That demonstration gives a concrete view of how an autonomous ride can fit into a ride-hailing app. The Madrid project’s final passenger interface and access rules remain part of the deployment work, so the Abu Dhabi workflow should not be treated as the Madrid service configuration.
Why the permit matters beyond Madrid
Madrid is the fourth city in the 15-city strategic partnership between WeRide and Uber. The partnership targets additional cities and tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles globally by 2030. Those are planned expansion goals, not completed deployments.
For Spain, the immediate change is more concrete: a national authorization now supports the work needed to prepare and test Level 4 passenger vehicles on public roads. The next major milestone identified by the companies is commercial operation by the end of 2026, after the deployment and regulatory steps are completed.
The practical questions around the launch
The first Madrid vehicles are planned to include an in-car specialist, and the initial fleet is planned around 20 WeRide GXR vehicles. That makes the early service a supervised deployment rather than a citywide driverless network.
The eventual passenger experience will depend on how the service is deployed in Madrid: which areas are included, how booking is presented in Uber and how the operational phase develops. The announced permit establishes the preparation and testing stage; the companies’ next stated target is commercial operation by the end of 2026.
