Waymo and Toyota will soon start testing their robotaxis in Japan

Waymo and Toyota plan to test a fleet of autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan sometime in 2027. The project follows their preliminary robotaxi agreement from April 2025. It matters because the companies want to combine Toyota’s vehicle manufacturing with Waymo’s self-driving technology.

Toyota will manufacture the bZ4X vehicles used in testing. At its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, the company is also equipping them with Waymo’s autonomous-vehicle hardware. The vehicles are intended to become Level 4 autonomous vehicles, according to the companies.

The Japanese testing will build on Waymo’s existing work in Tokyo. Waymo began testing Jaguar I-PACE self-driving taxis there in 2025, using drivers from Nihon Kotsu Co. to help train its software. Waymo plans to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Tokyo next year, while the timing for adding bZ4X vehicles remains unclear.

A robotaxi is a vehicle used for on-demand passenger trips that drives itself with an autonomous-driving system. An ordinary taxi normally depends on a human driver to steer, accelerate, brake, follow routes, and respond to traffic. The main difference is who performs the driving task.

Waymo’s vehicles are being developed for fully autonomous ride-hailing. In Japan, the company has tested Jaguar I-PACE self-driving taxis around Tokyo. Drivers from Tokyo taxi company Nihon Kotsu Co. drove those cars during testing, helping Waymo train its software before the planned driverless service.

Robotaxis are not automatically available everywhere or in every condition. Their operation depends on the technology, approved service areas, and local rules. The article says Waymo will launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Tokyo next year, but it does not explain the service’s pricing, coverage, or passenger capacity.

The planned Japanese fleet will use Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles. However, the article does not give a specific number of vehicles. It refers to an “autonomous fleet,” so readers can identify the vehicle type but not the fleet’s size.

Toyota will manufacture the bZ4X units at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. The same facility is assembling the vehicles and installing Waymo’s autonomous-vehicle hardware. The bZ4X is Toyota’s first modern mass-market electric vehicle, based on the e-TNGA platform developed with Subaru.

The fleet is expected to begin testing in Japan sometime in 2027. After Japan, Toyota and Waymo plan to deploy the vehicles in the UK and other right-hand-drive markets. The article does not say when the bZ4X vehicles will join Waymo’s commercial fleet or how many will eventually be produced.

Level 4 autonomous driving generally means a vehicle can perform the entire driving task without a human taking control, but only within defined conditions. Those conditions can include specific roads, locations, speeds, weather, or service areas. The article describes Waymo and Toyota’s planned vehicles as safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles.

Within its approved operating area, a Level 4 vehicle can make driving decisions and carry passengers without a human driver. If conditions fall outside its design limits, the system may need to stop safely or end the trip. This differs from systems that require a person to supervise driving continuously.

There is no useful fixed percentage for “how much” driving Level 4 performs. In its operating domain, it is intended to perform essentially all driving functions. The article does not specify Waymo’s exact operating limits, but it says the companies aim to scale the technology globally.

Japan, the UK, and other right-hand-drive markets are important because Toyota and Waymo specifically plan to deploy the autonomous bZ4X fleet in those places. A right-hand-drive vehicle is configured for markets where the driver’s position is on the right side. Matching the vehicle to local road and vehicle conventions can support deployment.

Japan comes first in the announced sequence. Toyota and Waymo plan to begin testing the bZ4X fleet there in 2027. Toyota will build and equip the vehicles in Toyota City, while Waymo supplies the autonomous technology. After Japan, the companies plan to move into the UK and other right-hand-drive markets.

The article does not explain the regulatory or engineering requirements for each destination. It also does not give a launch timetable for the UK. The broader goal is to accelerate the global scaling of safety-validated Level 4 vehicles, using markets that fit the planned vehicle configuration.

A successful autonomous ride-hailing service could change how people use taxis and urban transportation. Passengers might request rides through a service without a human driver in the vehicle. Taxi companies could also add autonomous cars to their fleets or change how they organize passenger service.

Waymo is already preparing for this possibility in Tokyo. It tested Jaguar I-PACE self-driving taxis in 2025, with drivers from Nihon Kotsu Co. helping train the software. Waymo plans to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Tokyo next year, although the article does not say how large it will be.

The wider consequences remain uncertain. Expansion could increase the availability of on-demand rides, but it could also affect traditional taxi work and city traffic patterns. Those outcomes would depend on safety, regulation, demand, pricing, and fleet size. The article does not provide forecasts for any of them.

Autonomous vehicles use cameras and other sensors to observe lanes, vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signals, and obstacles. Digital maps provide information about roads and routes. Artificial intelligence combines these inputs, estimates what is happening, predicts possible movements, and selects actions such as steering, braking, or accelerating.

For example, a vehicle may use a camera to recognize a traffic light, sensors to detect nearby objects, and a map to understand the road layout. Its software can then compare those observations with driving rules and choose a safe path. The vehicle continually updates this picture as conditions change.

The article does not describe Waymo’s cameras, sensors, maps, or software in detail. It only says Toyota is equipping the bZ4X vehicles with Waymo’s autonomous-vehicle hardware. The explanation above uses established general knowledge, while the article’s specific claim is that this technology is intended for Level 4 autonomous vehicles.