Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle company, launched its driverless taxi service in Munich, Germany. This is the third city outside the United States to receive the company's service, which already operates in Phoenix, Arizona, and in San Francisco, California.
The expansion into the European market comes at a time when the company is seeking to demonstrate the safety of its autonomous vehicles. According to data collected by Waymo, its driverless vehicles show higher safety levels than human drivers on the roads.
The choice of Munich as the location for European expansion is partly due to the strong presence of the automotive industry in the city, which houses the headquarters of companies like BMW. This context may facilitate partnerships and local acceptance of the new transportation service.
The company argues that safety data demonstrates that autonomous taxis can help reduce the number of accidents on European roads, since they eliminate human errors associated with driving, such as distraction, fatigue, and excessive speed.
