Self-driving taxis, also called robotaxis, are on the verge of a breakthrough in Europe, with many analysts pointing to 2026 as the year they go commercial.  Major projects are already underway.  For example, US ride-hailing firm Lyft plans to launch Baidu's autonomous electric vehicles (EVs) in select UK and German cities in 2026, and Alphabet's Waymo has announced a 2026 London rollout of Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis.  This follows very recent success stories in the US and China. Google´s Waymo already operates approximately 1,500 vehicles in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with over 250,000 fully driverless paid trips per week. In China, at least eight companies now offer autonomous taxi services.  While Europe is starting later than the US or China, it now seems to be moving quickly by partnering with foreign technology and testing services under tight regulatory oversight.

Germany is a leading European testbed for self-driving vehicles, with initiatives that demonstrate the policy push behind autonomous transit. Since mid-2025, Hamburg has become a test ground for autonomous ride-pooling.  The ALIKE Project is Hamburg's flagship autonomous mobility multi-partner pilot, which includes Hamburger Hochbahn as the public transport operator, Volkswagen's subsidiary MOIA as the mobility-as-a-service provider, and HOLON as the vehicle manufacturer. The project launched a fleet of van-style robotaxis, operating initially with a safety driver on board, aiming to go fully driverless by 2027.  Starting in 2026, Level-4 vehicles will offer on-demand ride-pooling for up to 15 passengers per shuttle within a 37-square-km area of Hamburg, supported by a €26 million federal grant. This project suggests robotaxis can complement or partially replace ordinary buses in low-demand areas. German researchers estimate that replacing 75% of bus service with autonomous vehicles by 2047 could cut public transport subsidy costs by up to 80% per kilometre.

In parallel, Berlin's public transit company (BVG) and MOIA are preparing a project using five VW's ID.Buzz AD Level-4 electric vans to service an 80-stop zone in northwest Berlin, with passenger test rides under supervision scheduled for 2026. The German federal government is also funding this project with €9.5 million.  Additionally, there are discussions to introduce true autonomous taxis in Hamburg, as the Freenow app, which is a Lyft subsidiary, and Hamburg authorities signed an agreement to plan autonomous taxis in several city districts.  Beyond Hamburg Uber and its partner Momenta plan to test fully driverless Level-4 robotaxis in Munich starting in 2026, which would be among the first demonstrations of such services outside controlled projects.

Malta's planners have recognised the potential of this technology.  Professor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the University of Malta, Alexiei Dingli, has proposed that Gozo could completely replace its private-car fleet with shared self-driving taxis.   He notes Gozo's small size and isolation make it an ideal proving ground for such a system. In panel remarks, he cites projections that mass-produced autonomous EVs could cost on the order of $0.20 per mile by 2030 compared with roughly $2 per mile for today's chauffeur-driven cabs.  In other words, a robotaxi network could vastly reduce Gozo's congestion and parking pressure if the service is widely used.  Dingli emphasizes that Malta, being small and tech-forward, could "be a light for other countries" if it boldly adopts these technologies.

However, such a plan requires strong public-sector support and preparation.  Like Germany and the UK, Malta would need to invest in pilot services, adapt regulations, and educate citizens.  European experience shows government backing is key. For example, the UK government has fast-tracked legislation to legalize autonomous taxis with pilots from 2026 and full legal status by 2027.  Germany has likewise created a legal framework and poured millions into trials.  Without this support, ride-hailing firms in Europe struggle. Bolt's founder, Markus Villig, warns that Europe's auto and tech industries have so far lagged behind, to the point where his company must rely on Chinese technology. Without regulatory reform and faster innovation, Europe risks becoming dependent on foreign suppliers and losing competitiveness in one of the defining industries of the next decade.  For smaller markets such as Malta, this presents both a risk and an opportunity.  While the island may not develop its own technology, it could move faster than larger countries by adopting proven systems and creating a flexible regulatory sandbox for pilot projects like Gozo, rather than waiting for a perfect European solution to emerge.

As experiences elsewhere show, robotaxis are not the only, nor necessarily the first, option for rethinking Gozo's transport system, and policymakers may consider a mixed strategy that combines shared mobility, stronger public transport, and demand-management measures. One approach would be subsidised taxi or ride-hailing services, where government support keeps fares low for residents, particularly older people or those without cars, although reliance on human drivers and fuel costs means this is likely only a short-term solution.  At the same time, enhancing conventional public transport remains essential. Malta has already explored expanded bus routes, bus-priority measures, and even longer-term ideas such as a metro or light rail, while on Gozo improved bus frequencies or small electric shuttles could offer realistic alternatives to private cars.  A middle ground could be autonomous shuttle services, such as the driverless minibuses being tested in Hamburg, which operate on fixed or semi-flexible routes and can connect villages to ferry terminals or town centres without requiring passengers to fully abandon familiar public-transport habits.  Finally, any serious attempt to reduce congestion may require demand-side tools such as congestion pricing or limits on car access, similar to systems used in cities like London, to discourage unnecessary driving.  Together, this policy mix suggests that the goal for Gozo should not be to replace every car with a robotaxi, but to gradually reshape how mobility is organised and shared across the island.

In summary, Europe's rollout of robotaxi and autonomous transit will accelerate soon, with 2026 widely touted as the breakthrough year. To succeed, however, European countries will need to be bold in legislation and funding trials so that robotaxis and autonomous transit become a normal choice for travellers, not just a futuristic novelty.  Malta now appears to have a unique opportunity to join it as a pioneer, learning from EU partners and through careful planning.

Dr Lina Klesper is an International Legal Assistant at PKF Malta