- The permit authorizes testing of WeRide's GXR autonomous vehicles in Spain and marks the beginning of mapping in the region of Madrid ahead of their first joint launch in Europe.
- This milestone marks the first national approval for WeRide's autonomous GXR vehicle in the EU, paving the way for future vehicle certification and commercialization across the region.
MADRID, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800), Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), and AVOMO, the autonomous vehicle division of the Moove Cars Group, in collaboration with the Regional Government of Madrid, today announced that they have received Spain’s first national permit for Level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles to operate on public roads, from Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) within the ES-AV framework. This authorization marks a major regulatory milestone toward the launch of Spain’s first commercial autonomous vehicle service.
As one of Europe's largest urban mobility markets, Spain serves millions of residents and visitors each year. The Community of Madrid, with its strong commuting demand and mature ride-hailing ecosystem provide an ideal foundation for autonomous mobility services. This launch marks the beginning of WeRide and Uber’s joint entry into the Spanish market and represents the fourth of the 15 cities under the WeRide-Uber strategic partnership, with another 11 cities to come by 2030. Under this global partnership, WeRide and Uber plan to deploy tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles on public roads to bring safe and reliable autonomous mobility to riders around the globe.
Commercial operations in Spain are expected to begin by the end of 2026 following the completion of deployment preparations and the achievement of the necessary operational and regulatory milestones. This deployment further demonstrates WeRide’s asset-light operating strategy. By combining WeRide's autonomous driving technology, Uber's established mobility platform, and AVOMO's fleet operations expertise, the partnership creates a scalable framework for autonomous ride-hailing deployment.
The permit allows WeRide, Uber, and AVOMO to begin deployment preparation activities such as mapping, route validation, and operational readiness testing, establishing the foundation for future commercial autonomous passenger transport services under the DGT ES-AV framework. The initial phase will deploy twenty vehicles equipped with WeRide's latest autonomous driving technology, operating under the supervision of an in-car vehicle specialist, and will be deployed across various high-demand areas within the Greater Madrid region. As the first national approval for WeRide's GXR autonomous vehicle in the EU, the permit creates a regulatory benchmark for future vehicle certification and commercialization across the region.
“Receiving this permit is a significant achievement for WeRide as it marks our ninth autonomous driving permit worldwide and a testament to our global leadership in commercializing autonomous vehicle services. The Madrid region is a key gateway for our European expansion, and together with partners like Uber and AVOMO, we are one step closer to bringing autonomous mobility to Spain before the end of 2026,” said Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International at WeRide.
“This permit marks an important milestone in bringing autonomous mobility from planning into real-world deployment. The Madrid region is quickly establishing itself as one of Europe's most forward-looking environments for autonomous mobility, and we're excited to be working alongside our partners to help make that vision a reality,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber.
“Every successful autonomous vehicle deployment begins long before the first commercial ride. Our experience managing autonomous fleets in the United States has shown that careful preparation, rigorous operational processes, and safety-first execution are the foundation for scaling these services,” said Manuel Puga, CEO of Moove Cars Group.
The service represents the first planned autonomous vehicle deployment by Uber and WeRide in Europe and is underpinned by Spain's supportive regulatory approach to autonomous mobility under the DGT ES-AV framework. It is expected to establish an important foundation for the future deployment of autonomous transportation services across the country and the broader European market.
About WeRide
WeRide is a global leader and pioneer in autonomous driving technology, and the world's first publicly listed AV company. Its business footprint now spans more than 60 cities across 13 countries. Powered by the intelligent, versatile and highly adaptable WeRide One platform, the company provides autonomous driving products and services ranging from Level 2 to Level 4, addressing mobility, logistics and urban services.
About Uber
Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 79 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.
About AVOMO
AVOMO is the autonomous vehicle operations company of the Moove Cars Group, specializing in the operation and maintenance of autonomous vehicle fleets. Today, AVOMO manages autonomous fleets in Austin and Atlanta, operating around 400 AVs with a team of more than 200 specialists.
Media Contacts
WeRide: pr@weride.ai
Uber: press@uber.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about WeRide’s, Uber’s, or AVOMO’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and are subject to regulatory approvals. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in WeRide and Uber’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and WeRide’s announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. WeRide, Uber and AVOMO do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fc02eeb-9e00-4891-8da3-95c92853eff0
