Waymo and Toyota to Test bZ4X Robotaxis in Japan in 2027

Tokyo service targeted for 2027

Waymo, a unit of Google parent Alphabet, already runs commercial driverless taxis in the United States. Since 2025 it has been testing in Tokyo with taxi operator Nihon Kotsu and the ride-hailing app GO, using Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicles supervised by trained Nihon Kotsu drivers.

In 2027, the three companies aim to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in Tokyo, bookable through an app once the necessary permits are granted. It has not been disclosed when the Toyota bZ4X will join that service.

What the partnership could mean

Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement in April 2025 to explore faster development and deployment of autonomous driving. The latest announcement moves that into vehicle manufacturing and testing.

The companies also say they will keep studying whether Waymo's technology could be added to privately owned Toyota vehicles, and how lessons from Waymo's real-world operations could improve safety for other road users. Toyota Executive Vice President Yuki Nakajima said in a statement that the companies will keep exploring ways to make roads safer by linking vehicles with traffic infrastructure.

Nothing has been decided about putting Waymo's technology into consumer Toyota models. If it happens, it could offer an option for drivers uneasy about Japan's narrow streets, where cars share space closely with pedestrians and cyclists.