Waymo Partners with Toyota to Test Autonomous bZ4X in Japan and Expand to UK
Waymo announces a manufacturing partnership with Toyota to produce and integrate autonomous systems into bZ4X vehicles in Japan, targeting expansion into right-hand drive markets like the UK.
Alphabet's self-driving subsidiary Waymo announced on Friday a broader partnership with Japanese automaker Toyota. Under the agreement, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 electric SUV bZ4X and integrate Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. These autonomous vehicles will initially undergo testing in Japan, with plans to deploy them in other right-hand drive countries, including the United Kingdom.
This move signifies a concrete step in Waymo's international expansion strategy. Previously, Waymo relied heavily on the Jaguar I-Pace for its US operations and London tests. Shifting to the Toyota bZ4X indicates Waymo is leveraging the manufacturing capacity of a major traditional automaker to address supply chain scalability. Hiroki Nakajima, Executive Vice President of Toyota, stated that the collaboration aims to bring the technology to customers in Japan and beyond via Waymo's ride-hailing service, while Toyota continues to explore integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure for improved safety.
It is worth noting that this is not the first interaction between the two companies. Eighteen months ago, Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement characterized by vague language, widely interpreted as a 'wait and see' arrangement. The current announcement specifies the model, production location, and timeline, demonstrating that the partnership has moved from intent to substantive supply chain integration. While both parties indicated they will continue exploring ways to bring Waymo's technology to personally owned Toyota vehicles, the immediate focus remains on securing a stable hardware source for Waymo's robotaxi fleet.