Waymo to use Toyota bZ4X vehicles for robotaxis in Japan and the U.K.
Self-driving company Waymo will begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan next year under a new partnership with Toyota. The cars are also intended for other right-hand-drive countries, including the U.K.
Waymo, the autonomous driving company, will start testing self-driving Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan next year. The testing is part of a broader partnership with Japanese automaker Toyota to supply electric vehicles for robotaxi operations in international markets, including the United Kingdom. The deal was announced on Friday.
Production and testing
Under the agreement, Toyota will build the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and fit Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. In North America, the electric vehicle is now sold as the BZ.
The autonomous cars will first be tested in Japan, where Waymo eventually intends to run a robotaxi service. The aim, however, is also to deploy them in other right-hand-drive countries such as the U.K. Waymo has already been testing autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for months and plans to launch a robotaxi service there once it obtains the required permits.
Background
The announcement comes 18 months after Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement to explore developing and deploying an autonomous vehicle platform. The wording of that earlier deal was vague. For now, the partnership resembles a conventional vehicle supply arrangement that helps Waymo meet specific regional needs and adds another model to its robotaxi lineup.
Possible next steps
The cooperation could extend beyond robotaxis. The companies said they will keep exploring ways to bring Waymo's autonomous technology to personally owned Toyota vehicles. They also plan to examine other future initiatives that would draw on insights from Waymo's real-world operations to improve safety for other road users.
Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota's executive vice president and a board member, said in a statement that the collaboration will help scale the technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo's ride-hailing service. In parallel, he said, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make roads safer.
