Toyota and Waymo will test a fleet of autonomous Toyota bZ4X in Japan in 2027

The year 2027 is going to be a busy one for Waymo. Now, we have learned that the robotaxis that the company puts into circulation in Japan will come from a Toyota factory. The two companies have announced the next phase of their collaboration, which will begin that same year with the first testing and validation operations of a fleet of autonomous Toyota bZ4X in the country.

Toyota will manufacture the cars at its Takaoka plant, where the entire process will be done. That includes everything from assembling the base vehicle to integrating Waymo’s self-driving hardware. According to the companies, it will be Japan’s first fully autonomous robotaxis service with cars manufactured in the country in high volumes.

The announcement comes a year and a half after Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement, in April 2025, to study collaboration in autonomous driving. Then they were talking about developing a new autonomous vehicle platform together, incorporating Toyota cars into Waymo’s fleet, and bringing Waymo technology to the Japanese brand’s private cars. This agreement also included Woven by Toyota, which provides its experience in software and mobility.

A bZ4X adapted for passengers that will later arrive in the United Kingdom

The bZ4X of this fleet will be vehicles of level 4that is, capable of driving without human intervention within the areas and conditions for which they have been validated. The version adapted for Waymo has more legroom in the rear seats, automatic doors, electric tailgate and ambient lighting.

After Japan, the plan is to take these cars to United Kingdom and to other markets in which Waymo operates during the following years, although for now there are no specific dates. In addition, Toyota and Waymo will continue studying how to apply autonomous driving to Toyota’s private cars. Together with Woven by Toyota, they will also explore other road safety initiatives, such as using data from Waymo’s real operations to improve the safety of other road users.

In Spain, for now, Waymo works with another model. A few days ago we said that the company will begin testing its cars in the Community of Madrid with the electric Jaguar I-PACE and with a person behind the wheel in the first phases. The tests will be carried out in Madrid, Alcobendas and Getafe, and Waymo plans to take its first passengers in 2027, as long as the tests progress and it obtains the necessary permits.