Waymo, Japanese partners target driverless taxi service in Tokyo in 2027
The service would start with a small fleet and expand to about 100 vehicles, with rides booked through the GO and Waymo apps.
- On Tuesday, Alphabet's Waymo announced plans to launch Japan's first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo by 2027, partnering with taxi app operator GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu.
- Waymo has been testing in Tokyo for the past year using Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, aiming to complement Tokyo's world-renowned transportation network while addressing Japan's aging population and labor shortage.
- Operations will start with a small fleet before expanding to about 100 vehicles across key Tokyo neighborhoods, with rides accessible through both the GO and Waymo apps once fully validated.
- "From day one, this will be an unmanned service for the public," Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told reporters, while shares of GO rose 9.7% on Tuesday following the announcement.
- Competition in Japan's emerging robotaxi sector is intensifying as Nissan works with Wayve and Uber Technologies, while Nuro, backed by Nvidia and Toyota, aims to compete with Amazon's Zoox.
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Waymo and GO Inc. plan to start commercial taxi operations without a driver in Tokyo in 2027. Exclusive subject matter for subscribers. To have full access, access the link of the subject and register.
Waymo's robotaxis in Tokyo will leave behind the experimental phase to become Japan's first driverless commercial service, with a fleet that will grow to around 100 vehicles if it exceeds security validation and gets the necessary permits. Japan is preparing to receive its first Waymo robotaxis in Tokyo. The US firm Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, joined forces with the Go platform and Nihon Kotsu firm to gradually deploy a fleet of about 100 a…
ALPHABET'S Waymo is introducing the first robotaxi service in Tokyo from 2027 to transform transportation and alleviate Japan's chronic driver shortage.
The American Waymo (part of the Alphabet Inc.), an application operator for calling a GO taxi, and the Nihon Kotsu taxi company announced on Tuesday plans to launch a fully autonomous taxi in Tokyo in 2027.
The companies have jointly explained that, on the basis of this agreement for the marketing of autonomous taxis, they will start with an initial fleet that will be gradually expanded to reach about a hundred vehicles in the main neighbourhoods of Tokyo.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Byung-kyu = Following the United States and others, driverless taxis are expected to begin commercial operation in Japan starting next year.
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