Science & Tech · Gadgets & EVs · 1 hr ago
Toyota and Waymo plan driverless taxi trials in Japan in 2027
Toyota and Waymo plan driverless taxi trials in Japan in 2027 using Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles.
Toyota will make the vehicles and install Waymo’s self-driving equipment at its plant in Aichi Prefecture.
The companies announced their partnership in April 2025 to develop and deploy autonomous driving technology.
The planned trial is a step toward a commercial taxi service, which the companies say they eventually aim to offer.
Waymo already operates robotaxi services, and it plans to use the Toyota vehicles in other markets, including the U.K. The companies have not said how many taxis will be used or where they will operate in Japan.
Testing and validation are planned before the service expands, but no wider rollout schedule has been announced.
Toyota and Waymo plan to begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan in 2027.
The companies say the trial will involve fully driverless taxi service, with testing and validation before any commercial expansion.
Toyota will build the vehicles and install Waymo’s self-driving equipment at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
The companies plan to expand the vehicles to the United Kingdom and other right-hand-drive markets in the following years.
They have not disclosed the number of vehicles or a detailed rollout schedule.
- Who
- Toyota Motor Corp. and Waymo LLC, Alphabet’s self-driving vehicle unit.
- What
- They plan to test driverless taxi service using Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles. They aim to commercialize the service after initial testing and validation.
- When
- In 2027.
- Where
- Japan, with vehicles built and equipped at Toyota’s Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
- Why
- To develop and deploy autonomous driving technology and expand Level 4 self-driving vehicles.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Toyota and Waymo announced a preliminary agreement to work together on autonomous vehicle technology.
Waymo began testing Jaguar I-PACE self-driving taxis in Japan, using drivers from Tokyo taxi company Nihon Kotsu Co. to help train its software.
Toyota and Waymo plan to begin testing and validation of autonomous bZ4X vehicles in Japan.
The companies plan to roll out the vehicles in the UK and other right-hand-drive markets.
- Vehicle model
- Toyota bZ4X electric vehicle
- Trial start
- 2027
- Manufacturing and equipment site
- Takaoka plant, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture
- Planned next market
- United Kingdom
- Vehicle count
- Not disclosed
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What people are saying
By pairing Toyota's global manufacturing and vehicle development expertise with Waymo's fully autonomous technology, the companies will accelerate scaling safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles globally
We'll start with the right-hand drive markets in Japan and the UK
We chose Toyota because of our respect for the legendary safety, reliability, and quality of their vehicles, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration as we scale our fully autonomous Waymo Driver technology globally
This collaboration will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo’s ride-hailing service, and in parallel, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make those roads safer still