Synopsis
Toyota Waymo partnership: Toyota and Waymo will begin testing a fleet of autonomous bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan in 2027, with expansion to the UK and other markets planned later. Toyota will manufacture and equip the vehicles at its Aichi plant, while Waymo will provide its fully autonomous driving technology.
Toyota Motor Corporation and autonomous driving technology company Waymo are taking their partnership forward, with plans to begin testing a fleet of self-driving Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan in 2027. The companies are working towards launching what they describe as Japan's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using high-volume, domestically manufactured vehicles.
The collaboration will combine Toyota's vehicle manufacturing capabilities with Waymo's autonomous driving technology. The companies also plan to expand the deployment to the UK and other markets where Waymo operates in the following years. The initial phase will focus on testing and validating the autonomous bZ4X fleet in Japan.
Toyota to manufacture and equip driverless bZ4X vehicles at its Aichi plant
Under the partnership, Toyota will manufacture the vehicles at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
The manufacturing and technology integration process will take place at the same facility. Toyota will assemble the base bZ4X vehicle and integrate the hardware required for Waymo's autonomous driving system.
This arrangement brings vehicle production and autonomous technology integration under one roof, allowing the companies to work together on scaling the fleet.
Live Events
The partnership builds on a preliminary agreement announced by Toyota and Waymo in April 2025. The latest announcement marks the next stage of that collaboration, moving towards actual fleet testing and eventual deployment.
The companies aim to scale Level 4 autonomous vehicles that have undergone safety validation. Level 4 autonomy refers to vehicles that can perform the driving task without human intervention within their designated operating conditions and areas.
What will the autonomous Toyota bZ4X offer passengers?
Apart from autonomous driving technology, the vehicles are being designed with passenger comfort and accessibility in mind.
Toyota and Waymo said the customised bZ4X will feature generous rear legroom, automatic doors, a power liftgate and ambient lighting. These features are intended to make getting into and out of the vehicle easier for passengers.
The accessibility focus is particularly relevant to the companies' stated objective of making transportation easier for people who cannot readily get around on their own.
The partnership is not limited to ride-hailing vehicles. Toyota and Waymo will also explore how autonomous driving technology could eventually be incorporated into personally owned Toyota vehicles.
Toyota and Waymo want to use autonomous technology to improve road safety
Both companies have positioned road safety as a central objective of their collaboration.
Toyota brings its vehicle development and manufacturing experience, while Waymo contributes its fully autonomous Waymo Driver technology. The companies believe combining these capabilities can help expand the availability of autonomous transportation.
Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov said the company was pleased to work with Toyota, citing the Japanese automaker's focus on safety, reliability and vehicle quality.
Dolgov also referred to Waymo's safety findings from areas where its autonomous vehicles operate. According to the company, its vehicles have demonstrated performance of up to 20 times safer than human drivers in terms of serious crash injuries. (This claim is attributed to Waymo and relates to the company's stated findings from its operating areas.)
Toyota executive vice-president and board member Hiroki Nakajima said the collaboration would help bring autonomous driving technology to more customers in Japan and international markets through Waymo's ride-hailing service.
He also highlighted the importance of integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure as part of Toyota's wider road safety efforts.
Partnership could extend beyond robotaxis
Toyota and Waymo will also work with Woven by Toyota to explore additional initiatives aimed at reducing road safety incidents.
One area under consideration is the use of insights from Waymo's real-world autonomous vehicle operations. The companies will examine how operational data, data-driven intelligence and autonomous technology could contribute to improving safety for other road users.
This suggests that the partnership could have applications beyond the vehicles used for ride-hailing.
Toyota will continue exploring how autonomous driving technology can be applied to its personally owned vehicles, while also examining how vehicle and traffic infrastructure integration could improve road safety.
When will Toyota and Waymo's driverless cars reach Japan and the UK?
The first major milestone is scheduled for 2027, when Toyota and Waymo plan to begin initial operations to test and validate the autonomous bZ4X fleet in Japan.
The companies have not announced a specific commercial launch date or the number of vehicles that will make up the initial fleet.
Deployment in the UK and other markets served by Waymo is planned for the following years.
For now, the immediate focus remains on vehicle manufacturing, integrating Waymo's autonomous driving hardware and validating the technology in Japan.
The partnership represents an expansion of Toyota's involvement in autonomous mobility and Waymo's efforts to take its driverless ride-hailing technology into more international markets.
