Toyota and Waymo expand self-driving partnership with Japan test fleet in 2027
Toyota and Waymo move to the next phase of their autonomous driving collaboration, with test operations in Japan starting in 2027, Reuters reported.
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what happened
Toyota Motor and Waymo have announced the next stage of their work on autonomous driving. According to the companies, initial tests of an autonomous fleet of Toyota bZ4X vehicles will begin in Japan in 2027, with later deployment planned for the United Kingdom and other Waymo markets, Reuters reported.
The vehicles will be built at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Aichi Prefecture, with the whole process handled in one place, from assembling the base car to integrating Waymo's hardware. The partners will also study how the technology could apply to privately owned Toyota cars and to joint efforts to reduce road accidents.
Dmitri Dolgov, co-CEO of Waymo, said that in areas where the company operates its vehicles are up to 20 times safer than human drivers in terms of serious crash injuries, and that the partnership with Toyota will help bring the technology to more people.
why it matters
For markets this is a long-term story: the announcement gives no timelines for commercial launch, investment amounts or financial figures. Any effect on Toyota's shares will depend on test results and how quickly the ride-hailing service reaches commercial scale.
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sources
- Toyota and Waymo Advance Autonomous Driving Collaboration for Safer Streets and Freedom of Movement for All — Reuters, 1 November 2026 at 15:18 UTC
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