The Waymo Toyota partnership will bring autonomous electric SUVs to Japan in 2027, with plans to expand robotaxi operations to the United Kingdom and other international markets.
Under the agreement announced Friday, Toyota will manufacture specially equipped bZ4X electric vehicles at its Takaoka factory in Japan. The automaker will also integrate Waymo’s autonomous driving hardware during production.
The vehicles will undergo testing and validation in Japan before entering commercial service. The companies have not announced a launch date for passenger operations or disclosed how many vehicles they plan to deploy.
Waymo Toyota Partnership Targets Japan and UK Robotaxis
The Toyota bZ4X will join Waymo’s expanding autonomous fleet. In North America, the electric SUV is now marketed as the Toyota bZ.
Japan will serve as the initial testing market, followed by planned deployment in the UK and other regions. Both countries use right-hand-drive vehicles, making the Toyota platform suitable for Waymo’s international expansion.
Waymo has already been testing autonomous vehicles in London using Jaguar I-Pace SUVs. The company intends to launch commercial robotaxi services there after securing regulatory approval.
The new agreement builds on a preliminary partnership announced in April 2025. At the time, Toyota and Waymo agreed to explore developing a shared autonomous vehicle platform.
The latest arrangement establishes a more concrete manufacturing relationship, giving Waymo access to Toyota’s production capabilities for future robotaxi deployments.
Toyota and Waymo Explore Autonomous Technology for Personal Cars
The collaboration could eventually extend beyond commercial robotaxis. Both companies said they will continue evaluating ways to bring Waymo’s autonomous driving technology to personally owned Toyota vehicles.
They also plan to explore road safety initiatives using information gathered from Waymo’s real-world operations. Toyota’s technology subsidiary, Woven by Toyota, will participate in those discussions.
Toyota executive vice president Hiroki Nakajima said the collaboration could help improve road safety through better integration between vehicles and traffic infrastructure.
Waymo has been expanding its international presence, including plans for robotaxi operations in Munich. The Toyota agreement adds a manufacturing partner to support that expansion, although broader deployment timelines remain unconfirmed.
