Toyota and Waymo have announced the next phase of their autonomous driving partnership. Starting in 2027, they will test and validate a fleet of self-driving Toyota bZ4X electric SUVs in Japan, and the United Kingdom and other Waymo markets are planned to follow in later years. Toyota will build the cars at its Takaoka plant, where Waymo’s hardware will be fitted on the same production line.
The two companies first announced a preliminary agreement in April 2025. They have now set out a concrete plan. Initial operations with an autonomous version of the Toyota bZ4X will begin in Japan in 2027, starting with testing and validation. Deployment to the United Kingdom and other markets where Waymo runs its service is planned for the years after that.
According to the companies, the project will lead to Japan’s first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using high-volume vehicles built in Japan.
Built under one roof in Aichi
Toyota will build the cars at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. The whole process will take place at one site, from assembling the base vehicle to installing Waymo’s autonomous-driving hardware. The vehicles will not be converted later by a third party.
The partners describe the vehicles as safety-validated Level 4 autonomous cars. Level 4 means the car can drive itself without human supervision within a defined operating area. The aim is to combine Toyota’s manufacturing scale and vehicle development experience with Waymo’s self-driving technology, so these vehicles can be rolled out globally more quickly.
A bZ4X adapted for ride-hailing
The robotaxi is based on Toyota’s bZ4X electric SUV and has been specially outfitted for passengers rather than private owners. Toyota highlights generous rear legroom, automatic doors, a power liftgate and ambient lighting, which the company says will make getting in and out easier. The companies also present the car as more accessible for people who find it hard to get around.
No technical data, fleet size or pricing has been given for the autonomous version.
Safety claims and the wider plan
Waymo says that in the areas where it operates, it is up to 20 times safer than human drivers when it comes to serious crash injuries. The partners say wider use of autonomous vehicles could reduce accidents caused by human error.
In its statement, Waymo said: “We chose Toyota because of our respect for the legendary safety, reliability, and quality of their vehicles, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration as we scale our fully autonomous Waymo Driver technology globally.”
Toyota made a similar point in its own statement:
“No single company can achieve the goal of zero traffic accidents alone, but with partners like Waymo, we will get there one step at a time.”
The partnership also goes beyond robotaxis. Toyota and Waymo will keep looking at how autonomous driving technology could be used in privately owned Toyota cars. Together with Woven by Toyota, the company’s software and mobility arm, they will also study how data and lessons from Waymo’s real-world operations could improve safety for other road users. Toyota adds that it will separately look at how connecting vehicles with traffic infrastructure could make roads safer.
What it means
Waymo’s driverless service has so far been mainly a US business. The Toyota deal gives the company a large-scale manufacturing partner and a route into Japan, a major car market where it has no service today. For Toyota, the deal adds a proven autonomous driving system to its zero-accident strategy without having to build that technology alone. It also gives the bZ4X a new role beyond private ownership.
Facts: Toyota bZ4X autonomous vehicle
- Base vehicle: Toyota bZ4X (battery-electric)
- Autonomy: Level 4, Waymo Driver technology
- Production: Takaoka plant, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Cabin features: generous rear legroom, automatic doors, power liftgate, ambient lighting
- Start: test and validation operations in Japan from 2027
- Next markets: United Kingdom and other Waymo markets in the following years
Initial operations with the autonomous bZ4X fleet are due to begin in Japan in 2027.
Source: newsroom.toyota.eu