Waymo is laying the legal groundwork for its next phase of international expansion, with new corporate registrations in Spain and France adding to a growing European footprint that began taking shape just weeks ago.
Public corporate records show the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company has registered ‘Waymo Iberia SL’ in Spain and ‘Waymo France’ in Paris, following the creation of ‘Waymo Germany GmbH’ in June.
The coordinated filings, first spotted by X user ‘RoadToAutonomy,’ suggest Waymo has started preparing for future operations across southern European countries.
The latest moves come as Waymo continues to expand beyond the United States for the first time, following its previously announced plans for Tokyo and London.
Waymo Registers Iberian Entity
Official filings from Spain’s Registro Mercantil show ‘Waymo Iberia SL’ was incorporated through a notarial deed signed in Madrid on June 9, with the company entering the commercial registry on June 11.
The entity carries the name “Iberia” rather than Spain, indicating it could ultimately oversee operations across both Spain and Portugal.
No public details have yet emerged regarding its management, registered address or corporate purpose.
Creating a dedicated legal entity is typically one of the earliest steps before establishing testing programmes, hiring local staff or launching commercial services.
The timing is notable given Portugal’s new autonomous vehicle legislation.
Beginning this month, Portugal’s Decreto-Lei n.º 113/2026 officially allows licensed autonomous vehicle testing on public roads for the first time under a dedicated legal framework.
Previously, testing opportunities in the country were far more limited.
France Registry
Corporate records also show ‘Waymo France’ was registered in Paris on June 23 as a société à responsabilité limitée (SARL) with €100,000 in share capital.
The company is headquartered at 95 Rue La Boétie in the 8th arrondissement.
Unlike the Spanish filing, the French registration clearly outlines its intended business.
Its corporate purpose includes providing on-demand passenger transport using autonomous vehicles, as well as supporting third-party commercial robotaxi services.
Two US-based managers, Kelly Francis and Steven Hahn, were named as gérants.
France represents one of Europe’s most mature autonomous driving markets.
Since September 2022, the country has permitted Level 4 driverless commercial operations within approved operational areas under its Ordonnance n° 2021-443, making it one of the few European jurisdictions where commercial robotaxi deployments are already legally possible.
WeRide already operates a driverless minibus service in Valence under the framework.
France’s national strategy, updated through 2027, aims to position the country as Europe’s preferred location for autonomous vehicle deployment.
Germany As First Signal
The new filings follow Waymo‘s registration of ‘Waymo Germany GmbH,’ which was incorporated on May 13 and officially entered Munich’s commercial register on June 15.
The German subsidiary is registered at Google’s Munich office.
Its stated corporate purpose covers offering ride-hailing services with autonomous vehicles and providing services that support third-party commercial offerings.
Recent job listings for vehicle specialists and test drivers in Berlin and Munich have further suggested preparations for future operations.
Germany remains one of the world’s most advanced autonomous driving jurisdictions. Its 2021 Autonomous Driving Act established the first comprehensive legal framework globally for Level 4 autonomous vehicles on public roads, followed by detailed operational rules under the AFGBV ordinance in 2022.
Broader International Ambitions
Taken together, the registrations represent Waymo‘s most significant push into Europe to date.
Until recently, the company had focused almost exclusively on expanding within the United States, where its fully driverless robotaxi service now operates across multiple metropolitan areas.
Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov said in March that the company had reached about 500,000 paid rides a week and more than four million autonomous miles, with a target of one million weekly rides by year-end.
More recently, Waymo has begun outlining a broader global roadmap.
Executives have said a commercial launch in Tokyo could come within months, with testing alongside local partner Nihon Kotsu already under way.
London is another confirmed future market, though commercial deployment there will depend on the UK’s evolving autonomous vehicle regulations.
In North America, Waymo has also signalled interest in entering Canada through Ontario’s pilot programme.
Spain’s AV Ecosystem
Spain itself is becoming increasingly attractive for autonomous driving companies.
Through its ES-AV programme, introduced by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), the country already allows public-road testing of SAE Level 2 through Level 5 automated vehicles under a structured national framework.
The system includes phased testing programmes ranging from small pilot fleets to larger pre-deployment operations, with requirements covering operational design domains, cybersecurity, insurance and safety oversight.
A broader Royal Decree that would establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for deploying highly automated vehicles on public roads is also in preparation.
With Portugal now opening its own testing framework and France and Germany already permitting advanced Level 4 operations in defined environments, Waymo‘s recent corporate registrations closely mirror the European countries offering the clearest regulatory pathways for autonomous mobility.
No Launch Timeline Yet
None of the newly registered entities confirm that robotaxi services are imminent.
Creating local subsidiaries is a common prerequisite for hiring employees, importing vehicles, obtaining testing permits and engaging with national regulators.
Commercial deployments typically follow months or years later.
The pace of Waymo‘s recent activity is notable.
In the span of a few weeks, the company has established new legal entities in Germany, France and Spain while continuing preparations for launches in Tokyo and London.
Waymo raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation earlier this year and has been expanding its US operations in parallel, recently opening its China-built Ojai robotaxi to first riders.
As of press time, the European registrations had not been accompanied by any public comment from Waymo on deployment timelines or fleet plans for the region.
