Toyota and Waymo will start testing driverless Toyota robotaxis in Japan in 2027
Toyota will build self-driving bZ4X SUVs with Waymo's equipment at one Japanese factory, with the U.K. and other markets to follow.
Toyota and Waymo, the Alphabet-owned robotaxi company, said Oct. 30 they will begin testing a fleet of driverless Toyota bZ4X electric SUVs in Japan in 2027. The companies plan to bring the cars to the United Kingdom and other Waymo markets in later years.
Toyota will build the cars at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, adding Waymo's self-driving hardware at the same factory. The companies called it Japan's first fully driverless ride-hailing service using cars made in large numbers in Japan. The cars are designed for Level 4 driving, meaning no human driver is needed in the areas where they operate.
"In areas where Waymo operates, we've demonstrated that we are up to 20x safer than human drivers when it comes to serious crash injuries," said Dmitri Dolgov, Waymo's co-CEO. That is Waymo's own figure.
The deal builds on a preliminary agreement the companies announced in April 2025.
Source: Toyota, "Toyota and Waymo Advance Autonomous Driving Collaboration," Oct. 30, 2026.