Waymo, the pioneer in autonomous driving, announces a major international expansion to Tokyo. In collaboration with Japanese taxi company Nihon Kotsu and GO, the company will deploy its autonomous vehicles outside the US for the first time.
This initiative marks an important milestone in the development of autonomous driving technology as the Waymo vehicles having to adapt to left-hand traffic and the specific challenges of one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The expansion is in line with the Japanese government’s future vision for the transportation sector and its efforts to promote innovative mobility solutions.
The first electric ones Jaguar I-PACE vehicles from Waymo are scheduled to arrive in Tokyo in early 2025. Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo’s largest taxi company, will be responsible for managing and maintaining Waymo’s fleet. In the initial phase, Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually control the vehicles to map key areas of the Japanese capital. This includes the districts of Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō.
Waymo plans to work closely with local partners, government officials and communities to understand the new operational area and optimally fit into the existing transportation system Tokyo to integrate. The company is in close contact with Japanese politicians, regulatory authorities and local security officials to ensure responsible implementation of the technology.
This international expansion builds on Waymo’s extensive experience spanning millions of miles of testing on U.S. roads. The company will also apply its proven safety approach in Japan and use the lessons learned to further accelerate the development of the Waymo Driver system through simulations.