Bliq wins first EU approval for fully driverless road operations in Estonia

By AI, Created 2:25 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Bliq.ai says Estonia has approved its vehicles for public-road operation without a driver behind the wheel, marking the first authorization of its kind in an EU member state. The move lets the Berlin- and Tallinn-based startup begin fully driverless operations under remote supervision as it pushes into more European markets.

Why it matters: - Estonia’s approval gives Bliq a regulatory green light for fully driverless road use in an EU member state. - The decision could speed Bliq’s push to bring autonomous vehicles to private and business users across Europe. - Bliq says the approval validates a model that extends beyond robotaxi fleets and into everyday vehicles.

What happened: - Bliq.ai announced that it received permission to operate its vehicles on public roads in Estonia without a driver behind the wheel. - The authorization is the first of its kind in an EU member state, according to Bliq. - The approval allows Bliq to begin fully driverless road operations under remote supervision. - Julian Glaab, CEO and co-founder of Bliq, said the approval shows fully driverless vehicles can be developed, validated and deployed in Europe today.

The details: - Bliq currently operates a dozen vehicles and says it has the largest completely driverless vehicle fleet in Europe. - The approval followed test-track validation and real-world testing in Tallinn city traffic with a safety driver onboard. - Bliq builds driverless cars for private and business use, starting in Europe. - The company retrofits existing software-defined vehicles with a sensor and compute stack rather than manufacturing purpose-built autonomous vehicles. - Bliq’s current product generation combines an AI-based Level 2 driving system with remote human supervision. - The company says its platform has been developed with a focus on safety and regulatory compliance. - Bliq says the system has undergone extensive real-world driving validation and has been assessed with involvement from technical services and Estonian authorities. - Bliq is backed by investors including NEA and Atlantic. - The company operates from Berlin and Tallinn. - Bliq’s team includes experience in autonomous driving, automotive engineering, regulation, functional safety and transportation operations. - Media content is available here. - Julian Glaab’s LinkedIn profile is available here.

Between the lines: - The approval suggests European regulators are beginning to accept fully driverless operation outside controlled demonstrations. - Bliq’s retrofit strategy could lower the barrier to deploying autonomous features because it avoids building a dedicated vehicle from scratch. - The company’s focus on remote supervision indicates a phased path from assisted autonomy to full driverless use. - Torgen Hauschild, CTO and co-founder, said Bliq sees the biggest opportunity in making autonomous mobility available in vehicles people and businesses already use.

What’s next: - Bliq says it is actively pursuing regulatory processes in several countries. - The company plans to bring its driverless technology to multiple EU markets in the near future. - Germany is positioned as an important next market, according to Bliq. - Bliq says it aims to make fully driverless mobility available beyond robotaxis and move autonomous vehicles into everyday life.

The bottom line: - Estonia’s approval gives Bliq a key regulatory foothold as it tries to scale driverless vehicles across Europe.