Toyota and Waymo Advance Autonomous Driving Collaboration for Safer Streets and Freedom of Movement for All

Toyota and Waymo announced an expansion of their autonomous driving partnership, aiming to introduce Japan’s first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using domestically manufactured Toyota bZ4X vehicles. Initial operations will begin with testing in Japan in 2027, followed by planned deployments in the United Kingdom and other Waymo-serviced markets in subsequent years. The collaboration combines Toyota’s manufacturing and vehicle development expertise with Waymo’s autonomous technology to accelerate the global deployment of Level 4 autonomous vehicles.

Toyota will produce the autonomous bZ4X fleet at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, integrating Waymo’s autonomous vehicle hardware on-site. This marks the first time a high-volume, domestically manufactured vehicle will be equipped with fully autonomous technology for a ride-hailing service in Japan. The integration process ensures efficiency and scalability while maintaining Toyota’s standards for safety and quality.

The custom-outfitted bZ4X fleet is designed with accessibility and comfort in mind, featuring rear legroom, automatic doors, a power liftgate, and ambient lighting to facilitate easier entry and exit for riders. Beyond ride-hailing, Toyota and Waymo will explore integrating autonomous driving technology into personally owned Toyota vehicles, with additional initiatives led by Woven by Toyota to improve road safety for all users.

Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov highlighted the partnership’s safety benefits, noting Waymo’s demonstrated record of being up to 20 times safer than human drivers in serious crash injuries. Toyota executive Hiroki Nakajima emphasized the collaboration’s role in scaling safety technology globally, aligning with Toyota’s commitment to zero traffic accidents and leveraging Waymo’s autonomous driving advancements.