Waymo is set to take a major step forward in its international ambitions, announcing that it will begin testing autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan next year. The move forms the cornerstone of a broader, deepening partnership between the autonomous vehicle leader and the global automotive giant to supply electric vehicles tailored for robotaxi operations across international markets, including the United Kingdom.
Under the terms of the agreement announced on Friday, Toyota will manufacture the 2027 model year bZ4X electric vehicles and integrate Waymo’s proprietary self-driving hardware and software stack directly at its Takaoka factory in Japan. In the North American market, the electric crossover is marketed simply as the BZ.
The initial rollout will see these autonomous bZ4X crossovers hitting public roads in Japan for rigorous testing, laying the groundwork for Waymo to eventually establish a commercial robotaxi service in the country. However, the strategic scope of the manufacturing and deployment plan extends far beyond Japan’s borders. The companies intend to deploy these specialized vehicles in other right-hand drive markets, most notably the U.K.
Waymo has already spent months actively testing its autonomous Jaguar I-Pace fleet on the complex streets of London. The company’s long-term plan is to launch a commercial ride-hailing service in the British capital as soon as it secures the necessary regulatory permits and approvals from local authorities. By incorporating the Toyota bZ4X into its pipeline, Waymo gains a dedicated, high-volume manufacturing partner capable of supplying vehicles suited for international traffic environments.
The formal announcement comes roughly 18 months after Toyota and Waymo initially signed a preliminary agreement to explore the joint development and deployment of an autonomous vehicle platform. At the time of that initial April 2025 announcement, the collaboration was viewed by industry observers as exploratory, characterized by vague language that left plenty of room for interpretation regarding whether it would materialize into a full-scale commercial venture.
For now, the formalized partnership functions largely as a conventional vehicle supplier arrangement. It serves the immediate purpose of helping Waymo fulfill specific regional and operational needs while introducing a mainstream, high-volume production vehicle model into its existing robotaxi portfolio, which has historically relied heavily on vehicles like the Jaguar I-Pace and modified Chrysler Pacifica minivans.
Despite the immediate focus on ride-hailing fleets, the alliance may eventually extend well beyond commercial robotaxis. Representatives from both companies noted that they will continue to evaluate opportunities to bring Waymo’s advanced autonomous driving technology to personally owned, consumer-facing Toyota vehicles in the future.
In addition to vehicle manufacturing and autonomous systems integration, Toyota and Waymo revealed plans to investigate other collaborative initiatives. These efforts are expected to leverage real-world operational insights gathered from Waymo’s extensive commercial robotaxi operations to enhance safety measures not just for riders, but for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and human drivers.
While the exact operational details of these safety initiatives remain undefined, Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president of Toyota and a member of the company’s board of directors, provided some clarity during the announcement.
"This collaboration will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo’s ride-hailing service, and in parallel, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make those roads safer still," Nakajima said in a statement.
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