MADRID, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide announced Tuesday that it will launch a commercial robotaxi pilot service in Madrid later this year in partnership with U.S.-based ride-hailing platform Uber and Spanish mobility operator AVOMO.

According to a joint statement from the three companies, users will be able to book autonomous taxis directly through the Uber app once the service begins operating. The project is expected to become Spain's first commercial robotaxi pilot service open to the public.

During the initial phase, trained safety operators will remain inside the vehicles in line with current Spanish regulatory requirements. The companies said they plan to gradually expand toward fully driverless commercial operations across core urban areas.

Under the partnership, WeRide will provide the autonomous driving technology and vehicle platform, Uber will offer the ride-hailing platform and user access, while AVOMO, a subsidiary of Spain-based mobility group Moove Cars, will oversee local fleet operations and regulatory compliance.

"Launching driverless robotaxis in Madrid, one of Europe's fastest-growing urban mobility markets, demonstrates our ability to operate safely in complex real-world environments," said Han Xu, founder and CEO of WeRide.

"Spain is our fifth European market and further strengthens our position as a trusted robotaxi operator across the continent," he told Xinhua.

The companies said Madrid's strong mobility demand, large urban population and relatively open regulatory environment make it a favorable market for deploying autonomous driving technologies. ■