Waymo, the self-driving arm of Google's parent Alphabet, is going international.
The company on Monday said it's partnering with Japanese taxi service Nihon Kotsu and taxi app Go to bring its fully electric, autonomous vehicles to Tokyo as part of a "road trip," during which Waymo deploys testing fleets to build and refine its self-driving technology.
In Tokyo, the Waymo Driver "will learn and adapt to left-hand traffic and new driving nuances associated with operating in one of the world's most densely populated urban environments," the company said in a statement.
Waymo's Jaguar I-Pace autonomous vehicles will arrive in Tokyo in early 2025, the company says. Nihon Kotsu will oversee management and servicing of the vehicles, and human drivers will initially operate the vehicles manually to map key areas of the city.
"Through this initial phase in Tokyo, we'll gain valuable experience that accelerates the development of the Waymo Driver, allowing us to evaluate how our AI-powered driver generalizes to new environments through simulation," Waymo said in its announcement. "We are engaging with Japanese policymakers, regulators, and local safety officials to ensure a responsible and seamless implementation of Waymo's technology to Tokyo's streets."
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Waymo currently operates in a handful of US cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. It's also planning to launch in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, via a partnership with Uber that kicks off in 2025. Earlier this month, Waymo announced it's also expanding into Miami, first bringing its fleet to roads there in early 2025 before eventually opening up to passengers in 2026. In Phoenix and Miami, Waymo will team up with fintech company Moove, which will manage the robotaxi's fleet operations, facilities and charging infrastructure.
These partnerships, in the US and abroad, can facilitate access to Waymo's service by tapping into apps people already have on their phones, like Uber or Go. (It doesn't take much to download the Waymo One app to ride in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but it's still one more step people may be unwilling to take.) Meanwhile, partnering with Nihon Kotsu and Moove can make managing Waymo's ever-expanding fleet easier by utilizing local teams who can keep everything running smoothly.
Waymo is one of a few companies working to build and expand self-driving tech, including Amazon-owned Zoox and startups like Avride, May Mobility and Nuro. The development of autonomous vehicles and robotaxi services can be a steep road, given the high cost, technological challenges and regulatory hurdles. Earlier this month, General Motors pulled the plug on its Cruise robotaxi operation, "given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market," the company said in a statement. Instead, GM says it'll focus on developing advanced driver assistance systems and, eventually, fully autonomous personal vehicles.
Waymo is arguably the biggest player in the AV space currently, with a series of recent expansions and the green light to charge for fully autonomous rides in several cities. And with a handful of new locations on its roster for the upcoming year, it appears the company is just revving up -- so long as its path to the finish line stays clear.
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