Waymo partners with Toyota for robotaxi testing in Japan and the UK

Testing begins in Japan

Toyota will manufacture the autonomous bZ4X units at its Takaoka factory in Aichi Prefecture. The vehicles will integrate Waymo's self-driving system before testing starts sometime in 2027. This fleet joins existing Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT models currently operating in the country.

Plans for international expansion

After initial trials in Japan, the companies intend to deploy these cars to other right-hand drive markets like the UK. Waymo has already tested its Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London and seeks necessary permits for a local service launch. The partnership aims to scale safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles globally using Toyota's manufacturing expertise.

Factory integration details

The Takaoka plant will install Waymo sensors and computers directly on the assembly line for each SUV. This approach avoids modifying regular cars later by building the autonomous hardware into the vehicle from the start. The collaboration combines Toyota's global development skills with Waymo's fully autonomous technology platform.