Technology and Scienceupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 13 October 2019Waymo And Toyota Start Testing Robotaxis In Japan Using Toyota bZ4X From 2027
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Waymo and Toyota plan autonomous bZ4X robotaxi testing in Japan starting 2027. Toyota will build the bZ4X vehicles and install Waymo hardware at the Takaoka plant.
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Japan testing, UK next
Toyota and Waymo said they will partner on robotaxis using the Toyota bZ4X, with testing of factory-built robotaxis in Japan beginning in 2027. Toyota will manufacture the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and integrate Waymo’s self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan, where the companies plan to start testing and validation. Waymo and Toyota said they will expand the services to the United Kingdom and beyond after Japan, with the UK named as the next right-hand drive market.
The companies plan to deploy their autonomous bZ4X vehicles to other right-hand drive markets like the UK, after Japan. Ecolo Auto said the fleet begins its testing and validation in Japan in 2027, with the United Kingdom and other Waymo markets to follow afterward.
Level 4 and safety claims
Waymo said the Toyota bZ4X robotaxis will be designed for Level 4 autonomous driving, where the vehicle handles all driving tasks within a defined area without a human driver. Waymo’s Chief of Policy and Regulatory Affairs Dmitri Dolgov said the company has demonstrated it is "up to 20 times safer" than human drivers regarding serious collision-related injuries. Toyota board member and executive vice president Hiroki Nakajima said, "Safety technology makes the biggest difference when it reaches as many people as possible," as the partnership targets broader deployment.
Waymo’s approach pairs Toyota’s global manufacturing and vehicle development expertise with Waymo’s fully autonomous technology to accelerate scaling safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles globally. Ecolo Auto said Toyota assembles the vehicles and installs Waymo equipment at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, under one roof.
Regulation, pilots, and timelines
The key step for a driverless taxi service in Japan or Great Britain depends on authorities deciding where a driverless car can carry paying passengers and who is responsible in case of an accident. Japan lifted the 4-level vehicle ban on public roads with an amendment to the Road Traffic Act in April 2023, but it still left questions about allowed zones and accident responsibility. TechCrunch said Waymo has been testing its autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for months and plans to launch a robotaxi service there once it receives the necessary permits.
The key step for a driverless taxi service in Japan or Great Britain depends on authorities deciding where a driverless car can carry paying passengers and who is responsible in case of an accident. Martin Cid Magazine said Waymo had already announced its intention to launch a commercial Tokyo service in 2027 with about 100 robotaxis operated in partnership with Nihon Kotsu and the GO ride-hailing app.