Waymo is set to start testing its self-driving Toyota bZ4X vehicles in Japan next year as part of an expanded collaboration with the automaker aimed at developing electric robotaxis for global markets, including the United Kingdom.
As part of this partnership announced on Friday, Toyota will produce the 2027 bZ4X models and incorporate Waymo’s autonomous driving technology at its Takaoka manufacturing facility in Japan. In North America, this electric vehicle is referred to as the BZ.
The initial trials of the autonomous bZ4X will take place in Japan, where Waymo aims to establish a robotaxi service. The plan also includes deploying these vehicles in other countries with right-hand traffic, such as the U.K. Waymo has already been piloting its self-driving Jaguar I-Pace models in London for several months and intends to roll out a robotaxi service there upon securing the appropriate licenses.
This announcement follows the signing of a preliminary agreement 18 months ago between Toyota and Waymo to explore the development and implementation of an autonomous vehicle platform. At that time, the agreement was largely exploratory and open to various interpretations.
Currently, the partnership resembles a traditional vehicle supplier arrangement that addresses specific regional requirements while expanding Waymo’s robotaxi offerings.
However, the collaboration may extend beyond just robotaxis. The two firms are also exploring how to integrate Waymo’s autonomous technology into privately owned Toyota vehicles.
Additionally, Toyota and Waymo expressed their intentions to investigate other future projects that leverage insights gained from Waymo’s real-world operations to enhance safety for all road users. The exact nature of these insights remains uncertain, but Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota’s executive vice president and board member, hinted at potential applications.
“This partnership will facilitate the scaling of technology to provide it to customers in Japan and other regions through Waymo’s ride-hailing services. Simultaneously, Toyota will continue to investigate the integration of vehicles with traffic systems to further enhance road safety,” he stated in a release.
