Toyota and Waymo will begin testing a fleet of factory-built autonomous Toyota bZ4X vehicles in Japan in 2027, turning their 2025 exploratory partnership into a concrete production plan aimed at Japan, the United Kingdom and other right-hand-drive markets. The announcement, made on October 30, 2026, names a vehicle, a factory and a start date for the first time.

Under the deal, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 bZ4X at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, and integrate Waymo’s self-driving hardware on the same assembly line. The companies describe the effort as a major milestone toward Japan’s first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using high-volume, domestically manufactured vehicles.

What Was Announced

The two companies will begin initial operations to test and validate an autonomous bZ4X fleet in Japan in 2027, with deployment to the United Kingdom and other Waymo-served markets planned for the following years. Toyota said the entire process will take place under one roof, from assembling the base vehicle to integrating Waymo’s autonomous vehicle hardware, a departure from the industry’s usual practice of retrofitting finished cars after they leave the factory.

The custom-outfitted bZ4X is designed around the ride-hailing use case: automatic doors, a power liftgate, ambient lighting and generous rear legroom for easy entry and exit. The vehicles will run Waymo’s Level 4 autonomous driving system, which handles all driving tasks within defined operating conditions without a human driver.

Waymo 5th-generation Driver hardware on a Jaguar I-PACE
Waymo’s 5th-generation Driver hardware on a Jaguar I-PACE. The new Toyota-built fleet will integrate Waymo’s autonomous hardware at the factory. Image: Waymo.

Key Details

Neither company disclosed financial terms, the number of vehicles Toyota will build, or when commercial rides will begin. Hiroki Nakajima, a member of Toyota’s board and executive vice president, told reporters that initial operations in 2027 would use a small number of vehicles, according to TechCrunch, which also reported that the partners plan to explore additional safety initiatives using insights from Waymo’s real-world operations.

“We’ll start with the right-hand drive markets in Japan and the UK,” said Dmitri Dolgov, co-CEO of Waymo, according to Reuters. “I think the vision and the strategic partnership is to extend that beyond that, but we don’t have any other countries or timelines or specifics to share.”

Key facts about the Toyota Waymo robotaxi partnership
The Toyota Waymo robotaxi partnership at a glance. Graphic: GPTOnline.

What the Companies Said

In the joint announcement, Dolgov tied the partnership to safety: “Toyota’s commitment to zero traffic accidents resonates deeply with us at Waymo, and we’re proud to work together toward safer roads for all. In areas where Waymo operates, we’ve demonstrated that we are up to 20x safer than human drivers when it comes to serious crash injuries.”

Nakajima said Toyota was “deeply grateful that Waymo, which helped pioneer fully autonomous driving technology, has chosen Toyota as its partner,” adding: “Safety technology makes the biggest difference when it reaches as many people as possible. 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.”

Why It Matters

The deal converts an April 2025 preliminary agreement, which committed the companies only to explore an autonomous vehicle platform, into a production program with a named vehicle, a factory and a timeline. For Waymo, it secures a dedicated supply of right-hand-drive vehicles built for autonomy from the start, supporting its push beyond the United States. Waymo has been testing Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in London for months and plans a robotaxi service there once it secures permits, according to TaxiPoint.

For Toyota, the partnership plugs the world’s largest automaker directly into the leading Western robotaxi operator at a moment when autonomous ride-hailing is shifting from pilot projects to scaled services. The companies also said they will keep exploring autonomous technology for personally owned Toyota vehicles, alongside Woven by Toyota.

Sources