Mercedes bets on Wayve as Chinese robotaxis reach Zagreb and Madrid

Autonomous driving in Europe is moving past the research phase. On 23 September 2026, Mercedes-Benz and the British firm Wayve announced that Mercedes vehicles will feature the Wayve AI Driver system. Integrating the technology into production vehicles will take two years. The assistance features aim to ease driving in urban traffic. The companies have collaborated for several years. In early 2026, Mercedes invested in a funding round where Wayve raised 1.2 billion dollars at a valuation of approximately 8.6 billion dollars. Wayve already has operational experience: its system drives automated taxis in London.

The first commercial robotaxis in Europe run on Chinese software

Chinese operators are bringing commercial autonomous ride services to Europe. Pony AI launched a service in Zagreb, Croatia, on 8 April 2026, in partnership with Verne and Uber. The company describes it as the first commercial robotaxi service in Europe. Residents can book and pay for rides in the Verne app, with Uber support coming soon. The initial operating area covers about 90 km² of the wider Zagreb city centre, including Zagreb Airport. Services run daily from 7:00 to 21:00. Verne acts as the vehicle owner and local operator, while Pony AI provides the autonomous driving platform. Tests and rides mainly use BAIC Arcfox Alpha T5 models equipped with the seventh generation of the Pony AI system. The company aims to have a fleet of 3,000 vehicles by the end of this year.

Madrid becomes the twelfth city

WeRide, in collaboration with Uber, announced its first commercial robotaxi pilot in Madrid on 2 June 2026. Madrid will be the twelfth city worldwide with WeRide operations and the company's fifth European market. In the first phase, vehicles will operate with trained safety operators on board. Once key operational metrics are met, WeRide, Uber, and partner Avomo (part of the Moove Cars group) plan to expand the fleet to hundreds of vehicles and transition to fully driverless service in central Madrid. WeRide states that its asset-light strategy will cover 15 cities by 2030.

European regulators face two parallel processes. Western premium manufacturers are integrating autonomous systems into private cars, while Chinese operators are building ride services in cities. Both require distinct legal frameworks, and both are developing faster than unified EU regulations.