Toyota to build Waymo robotaxis: bZ4X fleet to start testing in Japan in 2027, then head to the UK

Toyota and Waymo announced on October 30 the next phase of their self-driving partnership: Toyota will build a fleet of bZ4X electric vehicles fitted with Waymo's self-driving system, with testing and validation operations starting in Japan in 2027 before deployment to the UK and other Waymo-served markets. It is the first time since the two companies signed a preliminary agreement in April 2025 that they have named a vehicle, a factory, a first market and a start date.

One factory builds the car and fits the self-driving hardware

The vehicles will be built at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, where the whole process takes place under one roof, from assembling the base bZ4X to integrating Waymo's autonomous-driving hardware, rather than retrofitting finished cars elsewhere. Toyota calls it a major milestone toward Japan's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using high-volume, domestically manufactured vehicles. The cars will run Waymo's Level 4 system, designed to operate without human driving intervention within defined conditions.

Japan first, the UK next

Japan and the UK both drive on the left, and the Takaoka plant builds the bZ4X in right-hand-drive form. Waymo co-chief executive Dmitri Dolgov said the partnership will start with the right-hand-drive markets of Japan and the UK. Waymo has been testing Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London for months, but launching a commercial service there still requires the necessary permits.

What was not disclosed

Neither company disclosed financial terms, how many vehicles Toyota will build, or when commercial rides will begin. Toyota board member Hiroki Nakajima told reporters the initial operations in Japan in 2027 would use a small number of vehicles. The step turns an exploratory agreement into a production fleet plan, but regular passengers hailing a ride are still some way off, pending test results and regulatory approvals in each market.