Waymo Expands Robotaxi Testing Outside US for First Time With Tokyo Debut
Waymo prepares to test its autonomous vehicles on Tokyo's public roads in early 2025, marking its first international expansion. The company partners with local taxi firms to navigate left-hand traffic and dense urban streets.
Waymo announces plans to test its autonomous vehicle technology in Tokyo in early 2025, marking the first time the Alphabet subsidiary drives its robotaxis on public roads outside the United States. This international expansion is part of Waymo’s "road trips" development program, which sends vehicles to various cities to tackle unique environmental and infrastructure challenges.
In Tokyo, Waymo faces entirely new obstacles like left-hand driving and highly dense urban traffic. To navigate this transition, Waymo partners with local taxi-hailing app GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu, which oversees vehicle management and servicing. Human drivers from Nihon Kotsu initially operate the Jaguar I-Pace vehicles manually to map key Tokyo wards, including Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Minato, before the cars eventually test in autonomous mode with a safety operator behind the wheel.
This major international step for Waymo arrives just one week after General Motors abruptly scraps its Cruise robotaxi program. GM's sudden exit permanently ends a planned joint venture with Honda to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Tokyo by 2026, leaving Waymo as the dominant American robotaxi company pursuing the Japanese market.