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Toyota and Waymo to Test Self-Driving bZ4X Robotaxis in Japan From 2027

Toyota will build Level 4 autonomous bZ4X SUVs with Waymo's tech at its Takaoka plant, starting tests in Japan in 2027 before a rollout to the UK and other Waymo markets.

Raj ·Founder & Editor
Published in Vehicles · 2 min read ·
A white electric SUV with a roof-mounted sensor pod driving on an empty city street at dawn
A white electric SUV with a roof-mounted sensor pod driving on an empty city street at dawn
In this article

    As of about 9:00 AM IST, Saturday 31 October 2026. Toyota and Waymo announced the plan on Friday 30 October.

    Toyota and Waymo will start testing a fleet of self-driving Toyota bZ4X electric SUVs in Japan in 2027, the two companies announced, in the biggest step yet in a partnership that began with a preliminary agreement in April 2025. The vehicles will later be deployed in the UK and other Waymo markets.

    What was announced

    • Vehicle: a Level 4 autonomous version of the bZ4X electric SUV, which is now sold as the bZ in North America. Toyota highlighted automatic doors, a power liftgate and generous rear legroom.
    • Where it is built: at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi, which will handle everything "under one roof", from the base vehicle through to integrating Waymo's sensors and computers.
    • Timing: testing and validation in Japan from 2027, with the UK and other markets in later years.
    • Not disclosed: the fleet size and the Japanese city. Toyota executive Hiroki Nakajima said the initial fleet would be small.

    Right-hand drive first

    "We'll start with the right-hand drive markets in Japan and the UK," Waymo's Dmitri Dolgov said. Waymo is still testing its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Japan and plans a pilot with them in 2027. TechCrunch reported that Waymo has been testing I-PACEs in London for months and plans to launch there once it has permission. Waymo says its driver is "up to 20x safer than human drivers when it comes to serious crash injuries", a claim based on its own data.

    Beyond robotaxis

    The two companies also said they will explore bringing autonomous driving technology to privately owned Toyota cars, working with Toyota's software arm Woven by Toyota. For Toyota, the deal is a way into driverless technology without building the whole stack itself. For Waymo, it adds a high-volume manufacturer as it tries to scale beyond the US.

    Related reading on HorizonDesk

    Sources

    Electric VehiclesToyotaJapanAutonomous DrivingrobotaxiWaymoUnited KingdombZ4X
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    Written by Raj

    Founder & Editor

    I write HorizonDesk: practical, no-hype articles on technology, money, business and the vehicles we drive. Everything here is something I’ve researched, tested or wanted explained clearly myself.

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