Alphabet's autonomous driving unit, Waymo, announced on Tuesday its intention to roll out a robotaxi service in Germany by 2027. This move will establish the company's third international market outside the United States and marks its first foray into the European Union.

In an official blog post, Waymo outlined a "phased" testing approach that will kick off in Munich within the coming weeks. The initial phase will focus on developing high-definition maps, training local autonomous driving experts, and adapting its software to the city's "unique driving environment." The company plans to open the service to the public by the end of next year.

Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, highlighted the significance of this expansion in the blog post: "Munich is a global hub for mobility and engineering, and integrating into this city marks a key milestone in our global expansion process."

Currently, Waymo holds the leading position in the U.S. robotaxi market, even though the industry as a whole remains in its early stages. According to its website, the company already operates in 11 U.S. cities and is in the process of expanding to an additional 19. Last month, Waymo revealed plans to extend its services to San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver.

Munich becomes Waymo's third overseas city, following London and Tokyo, where the company is currently in the testing phase. As of March this year, Waymo has accumulated nearly 221 million miles of fully autonomous driving, equivalent to roughly 356 million kilometers.