Toyota and Waymo advance autonomous driving collaboration

Toyota and Waymo announced the next phase of their autonomous driving collaboration, with plans to start initial operations in Japan in 2027 using a fleet of Toyota bZ4X vehicles. The companies will test and validate an autonomous Toyota bZ4X fleet before scaling deployment to the United Kingdom and other Waymo-serviced markets in subsequent years. Vehicles will be built at Toyota’s Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, with the integration of Waymo’s autonomous-vehicle hardware carried out under one roof—from assembling the base vehicle to installing the AV systems. The partnership targets scaling safety-validated Level 4 autonomy globally. Beyond autonomy, the custom-equipped bZ4X includes features aimed at comfort and accessibility, such as rear legroom and automatic doors.