Waymo taps Toyota to supply robotaxis for Japan and the UK

Waymo will begin testing self-driving versions of Toyota's electric bZ4X vehicles in Japan next year as part of a broader partnership with the automaker. Waymo will begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X vehicles in Japan next year as part of a broader partnership with the automaker to provide electric vehicles for robotaxi operations in international markets, including the U.K. Under the partnership announced Friday, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 bZ4X vehicles and integrate Waymo’s self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. (The electric vehicle is now known as the bZ in the North American market.) The autonomous bZ4X vehicles will initially be tested in Japan, where Waymo intends to eventually operate a robotaxi service.

But the intent is to deploy these vehicles in other right-hand driving countries such as the U.K. 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 announcement comes 18 months after Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement to explore the development and deployment of an autonomous vehicle platform. At the time, the agreement fell into the “let’s see what happens” category, with language vague enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation. For now, the partnership looks more like a conventional vehicle supplier deal that helps