Waymo is set to commence testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X vehicles in Japan next year, marking a significant step in its broader collaboration with the automaker to supply electric vehicles for robotaxi services in various international markets, including the United Kingdom. This partnership, announced on Friday, entails Toyota manufacturing the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and incorporating Waymo’s self-driving technology at its Takaoka factory in Japan. (In the North American market, the electric vehicle is referred to as the BZ.)
The initial testing of the autonomous bZ4X vehicles will take place in Japan, where Waymo aims to eventually launch a robotaxi service. However, the plan extends to deploying these vehicles in other countries that drive on the left, such as the U.K. Waymo has been conducting tests with its autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for several months and intends to initiate a robotaxi service there once it secures the required permits.
This announcement follows an 18-month period after Toyota and Waymo entered into a preliminary agreement to investigate the development and deployment of an autonomous vehicle platform. At that time, the agreement was characterized by vague language, suggesting a cautious approach to future developments. Currently, the partnership appears to resemble a traditional vehicle supply arrangement, enabling Waymo to address specific regional demands while introducing a new model to its robotaxi fleet.
However, the collaboration may extend beyond robotaxi services. The two companies have indicated their intention to explore the integration of Waymo’s autonomous technology into personally owned Toyota vehicles. Additionally, Toyota and Waymo have revealed plans to investigate future “initiatives” that would leverage “insights from Waymo’s real-world operations” to enhance safety for all road users.
The specifics of these initiatives remain uncertain, but Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president of Toyota and a board member, offered some insights. “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,” he stated in a press release.
