Waymo And Toyota Will Put bZ4X Robotaxis On Japanese Roads In 2027
Waymo and Toyota will use the bZ4X electric vehicle as Waymo's autonomous taxi in Japan, with initial operations set to begin in 2027.
1 source 2h ago
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Why it matters
The bZ4X shifts Waymo's Japan service from the Nihon Kotsu-run I-PACE trials onto a Japan-built Toyota platform, aimed at right-hand-drive markets, with the robotaxi hardware going in at the Takaoka Plant.
Key Facts
- Waymo will use Toyota's bZ4X electric vehicle for autonomous taxis in Japan.
- Initial operations in Japan are set to begin in 2027.
- The bZ4X for autonomous taxis is produced at Toyota's Takaoka Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
- Assembly of the base vehicle and installation of Waymo's autonomous driving hardware both take place at the Takaoka Plant.
- The bZ4X equipped with autonomous taxi functions is built to Level 4 autonomous driving capability.
The car will be built at Toyota's Takaoka Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, where assembly of the base vehicle and installation of Waymo's autonomous driving hardware both take place. The bZ4X robotaxi is built to Level 4 autonomous capability, and the two companies plan to introduce it over several years into the United Kingdom and other Waymo markets.
Toyota's Takaoka Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, takes on both the base bZ4X assembly and the installation of Waymo's autonomous driving hardware. The companies tie the plan to a basic agreement on an autonomous driving partnership they reached in April 2025, and say the 2027 Japan operations will test and validate the vehicle before it reaches riders.
The cabin work leans toward boarding and alighting: automatic opening and closing doors, a power back door, indirect interior lighting, and rear legroom. The bZ4X robotaxi is built to Level 4 autonomous capability.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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