Toyota to build Waymo bZ4X robotaxis for 2027 Japan tests

Waymo and Toyota will begin testing an autonomous Toyota bZ4X fleet in Japan in 2027, the companies announced on October 30. The UK and other Waymo markets would follow.

Toyota’s Takaoka plant in Japan will handle both vehicle assembly and integration of Waymo’s autonomous hardware. Automatic doors and a power liftgate will ease access. The program advances their April 2025 preliminary agreement.

On September 14, Waymo, Nihon Kotsu and taxi app GO announced preparations for an unmanned Tokyo commercial service in 2027. Riders would book through GO or Waymo, with a fleet expanding toward about 100 vehicles. That is a Tokyo service target, not a bZ4X order quantity.

Tokyo validation currently includes trained Nihon Kotsu crew members behind the wheel, with autonomous and manual operation. Waymo’s passenger-service timetable depends on national and local approvals and completion of technology and joint-operating validation. Vehicle testing and readiness to carry the public therefore have separate requirements. Its Japan FAQ lists day-and-night driving across wards including Minato and Shinjuku, while local validation adapts the system to narrow streets and dense pedestrian areas.

The specialists undergo classroom and in-car instruction and must pass Waymo driving tests, in addition to Nihon Kotsu training. The curriculum covers technology, monitoring on public roads and defensive driving, preparing staff to train and supervise the system.

Factory integration meets local road validation

Waymo’s system uses AI to perceive its surroundings, predict movement and plan driving. Its technology documentation describes detailed mapping before entering a new area, recording lane markings, curbs, crosswalks and signs. The vehicle matches that map with live sensor information to locate itself, instead of relying solely on GPS.

An onboard computer combines camera, radar and lidar inputs. Lidar measures returning light pulses to build a three-dimensional view; radar provides distance and speed information. The system predicts possible paths of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, then determines speed, lane and steering.

Woven by Toyota will also participate. Its separate October 30 account describes exploring how experience, data and technology from Waymo’s real-world operations could improve safety for other road users. It is separately investigating connections between Toyota vehicles and surrounding infrastructure to support smoother traffic. Over time, Woven says these efforts should complement both fully autonomous fleets and partially automated vehicles. Woven places commercial service after initial operations in 2027, without specifying its start date.

The bZ4X timetable sits alongside existing London preparations. Waymo says local professionals drove tens of thousands of miles there before autonomous driving with trained specialists behind the wheel. Closed-course tests and a simulated London environment formed part of that preparation. The 2027 Japan bZ4X milestone consequently refers to a new vehicle program, rather than the beginning of London validation.

In its September 24 London plan, Waymo said its chosen passenger-service permitting route requires national Department for Transport approval and Transport for London consent. It also described investment in local facilities and fleet maintenance and operating roles. Waymo said it was already investing tens of millions of pounds in London vehicle operations and facilities.