Waymo registers Zurich entity for robotaxi launch, but no test application filed yet

Alphabet's subsidiary has registered a legal entity in Switzerland for a future robotaxi service. Waymo Switzerland GmbH was set up in Zurich, and its stated purpose is passenger transportation and mobility services using autonomous vehicles, according to the Zurich commercial register.

The legal address is Gustav-Gull-Platz, in the Langstrasse district. Google's Swiss entity is registered at the same address.

The registration does not mean robotaxis will soon hit Swiss roads. According to the NZZ newspaper on August 8, neither Waymo nor Uber has filed an application with the Swiss Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) for a pilot project. The company has also not disclosed a test location, a start date for trials, or a launch date for passenger services.

Swiss law permits limited testing of fully autonomous vehicles, but requires authorization, proof of technical and operational safety, a defined operating area, and a risk management system. There is no general permission for such cars to use roads freely in the country, so projects run under separate pilot programs.

The registration of Waymo Switzerland GmbH is preparation for potential market entry, not a finished service. Signs of an actual launch would be an application to ASTRA, approval of a safety program, a defined test zone, and a published trial schedule. For now, all these steps lie ahead.