Master's Degree in Autonomous Vehicles 2026: 90 ECTS and three specialties in Galician universities

Key data

Companies in the autonomous mobility sector have had a new talent pool in northwestern Spain since October 29, 2026. The University of Vigo, in collaboration with the universities of A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela, has published the official study plan for the Master's Degree in Autonomous Vehicles, according to the Resolution of October 16, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-22701).

The degree was verified by the Council of Universities with a favorable report from the Agency for the Quality of the University System of Galicia (ACSUG) and authorized by the Council of Ministers on September 15, 2026. It does not replace any previous degree: it is a newly created qualification that responds to the growing demand for engineers specialized in a rapidly expanding sector.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the complete study plan for the master's degree, with the credit structure distributed as follows:

The plan offers three optional specialties, each oriented toward a different operating environment:

• Autonomous terrestrial vehicles
• Autonomous aerial vehicles (drones and UAV systems)
• Autonomous marine vehicles

The content ranges from control architectures to regulations and homologation, covering both the technological and regulatory dimensions of the sector. Teaching is conducted jointly by the three Galician universities, which implies unprecedented inter-university coordination in this field in Galicia.

Economic and operational impact

For companies in the sector, this master's degree has direct implications in three areas:

• Talent recruitment: The market for engineers specialized in autonomous mobility is scarce and highly competitive at the European level. Having an official program in Galicia reduces the costs of attracting profiles and facilitates internship agreements (6 mandatory ECTS) with local companies or those based in the region.
• Paid external internships: The 6 credits of external internships represent a direct opportunity for companies to access candidates in training, with reduced costs and the possibility of prior evaluation before hiring.
• R&D and innovation projects: Master's Final Projects (12 ECTS) can be oriented toward real company challenges, acting as applied research projects without direct senior personnel costs.

The autonomous vehicles sector—terrestrial, aerial and marine—is in a phase of regulatory and technological expansion in Europe. Having engineers trained in regulations and homologation is especially valuable for companies that want to operate or certify products in European markets.

Who does it affect?

• Autonomous mobility and robotics companies with presence or interest in the Spanish and European market.
• Manufacturers of drones, autonomous terrestrial vehicles and unmanned marine systems that need profiles with training in homologation.
• Technology startups in the deeptech sector seeking engineers with recognized official training.
• R&D departments of large industrial, logistics, defense or naval companies.
• Engineering graduates (industrial, telecommunications, aeronautical, naval, computer science) who want to specialize in autonomous mobility.
• Galician universities and technology centers seeking collaborations in applied research projects.

Practical example

A Galician company manufacturing industrial inspection drones needs to hire an engineer capable of managing the certification process for its aircraft with the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and the European EASA. Until now, this profile had to be sought outside Galicia or trained internally at high cost.

With the new master's degree, that company can:

1. Sign an external internship agreement (6 ECTS) with the University of Vigo to host a student from the aerial vehicles specialty during the internship period.
2. Propose a real homologation challenge as a Master's Final Project (12 ECTS), obtaining a technical-regulatory analysis without external consulting costs.
3. Evaluate the candidate during the process and, if suitable, hire them upon completion of the master's degree with a profile already adapted to their specific needs.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify talent needs in autonomous mobility: Review whether the company has projects in autonomous terrestrial, aerial or marine vehicles that require specialized profiles in the next 12-24 months.
2. Contact the transfer offices of the three universities: University of Vigo, University of A Coruña and University of Santiago de Compostela manage internship agreements. Initiate contact as soon as possible to secure a place in the first cohort.
3. Consider proposing a TFM linked to a real company challenge: The 12 ECTS of the Master's Final Project can be oriented toward specific problems of homologation, control architecture or regulation, with academic supervision and no direct cost to the company.
4. Review the specialty most aligned with the business: The three specialties (terrestrial, aerial, marine) have distinct exit profiles. Choosing collaboration with the correct specialty maximizes the return on the university-company relationship.
5. Incorporate this master's degree into the talent source map: Update HR plans and agreements with universities to include this new official degree as a specialized recruitment channel.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22701