Waymo and Toyota Team Up to Test Autonomous bZ4X Fleet in Japan
Waymo and Toyota Team Up to Test Autonomous bZ4X Fleet in Japan
Waymo and Toyota are expanding their partnership to test autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan starting in 2027. The collaboration will eventually scale to right-hand drive international markets including the United Kingdom.
Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo and major automaker Toyota are significantly deepening their ongoing partnership. Following a preliminary agreement signed eighteen months prior, the companies announced plans to test an autonomous fleet of Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan starting in 2027. This cooperative initiative pairs Toyota's vehicle manufacturing and development expertise with Waymo's fully autonomous technology stack. The resulting self-driving electric vehicles will target international right-hand drive markets, creating a structured roadmap for future global deployment.
Expanding the Autonomous Horizon
Waymo and Toyota are preparing to test an autonomous fleet of Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan sometime in 2027. Following initial trials, the companies plan to deploy these specialized vehicles to the United Kingdom and other right-hand drive markets in the years that follow.
This deployment marks an important operational milestone for international autonomous transport. By combining forces, both organizations aim to accelerate the global scaling of safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles across distinct international regulatory environments.
Japan Testing
Autonomous bZ4X electric vehicles will begin testing operations in Japan starting in 2027.
UK Expansion
Planned deployment extends to the United Kingdom and additional right-hand drive international markets.
Manufacturing at Takaoka
Toyota will manufacture the bZ4X units designated for testing and deployment at its Takaoka plant located in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. This facility serves as the central hub where the automaker assembles the electric vehicles and equips them directly with Waymo autonomous vehicle hardware.
The integration process leverages Toyota's established e-TNGA platform, which was originally developed alongside Subaru. Manufacturing the vehicles locally with pre-installed hardware ensures tight alignment between the physical vehicle architecture and Waymo's driving software.
Evolution of the Partnership
In April 2025, Toyota and the autonomous driving company entered a preliminary agreement to work together on robotaxis. That initial arrangement remained vague and open to interpretation before evolving into a more concrete vehicle supplier and technical partnership.
The updated arrangement functions as a conventional vehicle supplier deal designed to help Waymo fill specific regional requirements. Beyond immediate robotaxi deployments, the companies will continue exploring potential future applications for personally owned Toyota consumer vehicles.
Preliminary Pact
The initial exploratory agreement was signed by both companies in April 2025.
Consumer Vehicles
Partnership discussions include bringing autonomous technology to personally owned Toyota cars.
Broader Global Operations
The upcoming bZ4X fleet will join Waymo's broader portfolio of test vehicles operating internationally. Waymo began testing its Jaguar I-PACE self-driving taxis in Japan back in 2025, utilizing drivers from Tokyo taxi company Nihon Kotsu Co. to train its software.
Building on those local training efforts, Waymo plans to launch a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the company has also been testing autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London while awaiting necessary regulatory permits.
Why It Matters
The strategic alliance between Waymo and Toyota highlights how autonomous vehicle developers are increasingly partnering with legacy automakers to solve hardware and manufacturing challenges. Rather than building bespoke robotaxis from scratch, technology firms can leverage established mass-market electric vehicle platforms like the bZ4X. This hybrid approach accelerates international expansion into complex right-hand drive markets such as Japan and the United Kingdom, while establishing a repeatable framework for future consumer vehicle integration and global fleet scaling.
Waymo and Toyota will soon start testing their robotaxis in Japan (engadget.com) · Waymo taps Toyota to supply robotaxis for Japan and the U.K. (techcrunch.com)
Reporting reviewed through October 30, 2026.
