Waymo's Global Leap: Autonomous Vehicles Set to Navigate Tokyo's Streets in 2025

Alphabet's Waymo Expands Beyond US to the World's Most Populous City

Autonomous taxis are heading to Tokyo in Waymo's first international expansion. Waymo's self-driving cars are taking a "road trip" to Japan, according to the Alphabet (GOOGL)-owned venture. The company's electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles will hit the busy roads in Tokyo, a city of 13 million residents, in early 2025 as Waymo experiments with autonomous driving beyond the U.S. Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter Sign Up Thank you for signing up! By clicking submit, you agree to our <a href="http://observermedia.com/terms">terms of service</a> and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime. See all of our newsletters The robotaxi company currently operates a fleet of some 700 vehicles in a handful of American cities but has yet to launch any official commercial operations outside of the country. Laying the groundwork for a potential international expansion, its upcoming work in Japan will allow the company to "evaluate how our A.I.-powered driver generalizes to new environments through simulation," said Waymo in a statement. Waymo will be partnering with the taxi app GO and Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo's largest taxi company, as it tests out its vehicles in the Japanese capital. For now, the collaboration's early stages will see Nihon Kotsu drivers manually operate Waymo vehicles to map Tokyo's key areas like Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō to train the self-driving company's A.I. systems on the city's dense urban environment. The overseas excursion, which also marks Waymo's first foray into left-hand traffic, signals the company's interest in one day offering rides to the Japanese public. Japan's aging population provides room for much-needed traffic solutions, with the Japanese government eyeing self-driving cars as a potential way to bolster road safety for the world's most elderly population. Founded 15 years ago as a self-driving project within Google (GOOGL), Waymo became an independent Alphabet subsidiary in 2016 and launched its first self-driving service the following year in Phoenix, Ariz. Having since expanded to cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, it plans to bring its cars to Miami next year. Waymo also recently partnered with Uber (UBER) in a collaboration that will expand its autonomous service to Atlanta and Austin in early 2025. Waymo's expansion into Japan "aligns with the country's vision for the future of transportation," according to the company, which said it will tap Japanese policymakers, regulators and local safety officials as it deploys its autonomous vehicles across Tokyo. Although Japan's self-driving ecosystem has historically seen less movement than markets in the U.S. and China, the nation's robotaxi vision is picking up steam. Earlier this year, the Japanese government unveiled plans to allow autonomous driving services on at least 25 public road routes by next spring, with plans to later expand this figure to 100 routes. Some of Japan's largest self-driving players include the startup Tier IV, which began operating a self-driving taxi service in Tokyo last month and is currently developing a new autonomous vehicle that can fit an entire family. Backed by Japanese investors like SoftBank (SFTBF) and Toyota, Monet Technologies earlier this year announced plans to launch an autonomous taxi service in parts of Tokyo, while the self-driving venture Turing is hoping to roll out 10,000 self-driving cars by the end of the decade.

Waymo to begin testing in Tokyo, its first international destination

Alphabet-owned Waymo announced Monday that it will start testing its autonomous vehicles in Tokyo in early 2025, the company's first step toward international expansion. Waymo hasn't committed to start commercial service in Tokyo yet, but the robotaxi developer will partner with Japan's largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu, and taxi app GO to start testing its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Tokyo's streets. To start, Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually operate the Waymo vehicles to map key areas of the Japanese capital, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. Data from the manned test drives will help train the company's AI systems. Waymo will also test its robotaxis on a closed course in the U.S. built to mimic driving conditions in Japan. This is the first phase of the partnerships, which will last several quarters, Waymo told CNBC, adding that it expects to remain in Japan for an extended period. "Our upcoming road trip to Tokyo gives us the chance to work alongside local partners, government officials, and community groups to understand the new landscape," Waymo said in a statement. "We'll learn how Waymo can serve Tokyo's residents and become a beneficial part of the city's transportation ecosystem." Nihon Kotsu will oversee the management and servicing of Waymo's vehicles in Japan, the companies said. Waymo announced a series of expansions across the U.S. in 2024. Earlier this month, the company announced new testing in Miami in 2025, it made its driverless ride hail service available across Los Angeles in November, and in September, it announced planned expansions into Austin and Atlanta in partnership with Uber. The move into Japan marks the company's first in a left-hand traffic market. Both the Japanese national government and Tokyo Metropolitan government see driverless technology as a potential boon to the country's aging population, according to research by the World Economic Forum. Tokyo has designated certain areas as "test zones" for self-driving cars hoping to hasten the arrival of safe driverless transportation systems there. Several developers are working on autonomous vehicles in Japan, including local startup Tier IV and ZMP, a robotics company that is testing delivery vehicles and buses in Tokyo. Monet Technologies, which is partly owned by Toyota, announced plans to test a self-driving taxi service in Tokyo's Odaiba district earlier this year. Waymo's Japan expansion announcement comes a week after General Motors announced it was abandoning its Cruise robotaxi division. Honda, an outside investor in Cruise, told CNBC that it aimed to launch a driverless ride-hail service in Japan in early 2026 but would re-assess those plans and make adjustments if needed. Prior to GM's retreat from robotaxis, Cruise had been one of Waymo's primary domestic competitors.

Google's Waymo is going international

Why generative AI is in its 'Angry Birds' phase, according to DataStax CEO Chet Kapoor The autonomous vehicle company described its plans as a "road trip," meant to collect data about the nuances of driving in Tokyo, including left-hand traffic and navigating in a densely populated urban environment. Waymo said the endeavor will help it learn how to serve Tokyo's residents and work with local partners and policymakers. The firm is teaming up with Nihon Kotsu, a major Japanese taxi operator, whose drivers will be behind the wheels of Waymo's cars as it maps out major areas in Tokyo. That includes Shibuya, a major commercial center, and Minato, a business area where Honda Motor (HMC0.00%), Mitsubishi (MSBHF0.00%), and SoftBank are headquartered. About 25 of Waymo's Jaguar I-PACE SUVs will be sent to Japan beginning in 2025. The tests will give Waymo an idea of how to operate in an international setting, given that its vehicles have only been tested in North America. But the company said it isn't ready to announce plans for an international expansion, telling The Verge that "we have no plans to serve riders in Tokyo at this time." "Our commitment to safer transportation goes beyond borders, and we're excited to bring the Waymo Driver to Japan," Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a statement. "Working with Nihon Kotsu and GO, we'll understand Tokyo's unique transportation needs and lay the groundwork for shaping the future of transportation in the city." GO, a popular taxi app, could take the role that Waymo has planned for a similar partner in the U.S., Uber (UBER0.00%). Waymo and the ride-hail provider are planning to launch its self-driving car services in Austin and Atlanta in early 2025 through Uber's app. In other cities, including San Francisco and Phoenix, consumers can hail a Waymo through the company's own mobile app. Several autonomous vehicle companies already have some operations in Japan, which has been leading the road in terms of legal development, even if China and the U.S. are home to the industry's leaders. Japan plans to allow self-driving vehicles on at least 25 public roads by March 2025, with a goal of reaching 100 routes. Over the summer, Nissan (NSANY0.00%) demonstrated its self-driving tech and plans to begin providing commercial robotaxi services to "three to four" municipalities by its 2027 fiscal year. Tier IV has been selected by Japan's government to develop a self-driving taxi large enough to transport a family. Commercial operations of Japan's first Level 4 self-driving tax service began last month in Odaiba, Tokyo. Waymo's announcement also comes on the heels of General Motors (GM0.00%)' announcement that it would pause funding for its Cruise robotaxi division as losses piled up. Several companies, including Honda, had planned to work with Cruise on self-driving plans, which have now been halted or canceled.

Waymo's self-driving cars hit Tokyo streets in 2025

Waymo will begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Tokyo in early 2025. This expansion marks Waymo's first international venture after securing a partnership with Japan's largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu. The tests will focus on mapping key areas in Tokyo, providing critical data to enhance the AI systems driving the robotaxis. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, has yet to announce plans for commercial service in Tokyo. The company will deploy its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, with Nihon Kotsu drivers initially operating them manually to gather data on regions such as Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. This data collection effort is critical, as it will inform the training of Waymo's AI for the unique challenges presented by Tokyo's urban landscape. The Tokyo tests comprise the first phase of a longer-term plan involving local partners, government officials, and community groups. This phase is expected to last several quarters as Waymo works to understand how its services can fit into Tokyo's transportation ecosystem. Additionally, Waymo plans to conduct tests on a closed course in the U.S. designed to replicate the driving conditions in Japan. This venture into Japan comes on the heels of Waymo's expanded operations within the United States, which included new testing zones in Miami, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta in 2024. Notably, Tokyo presents its own set of challenges, including left-hand traffic and a densely populated urban environment. Waymo's prior road trips concentrated on various cities in the U.S., focusing on different conditions such as rain in Miami or heat in California's Death Valley. The ethical dilemmas of autonomous cars: Who's responsible in a crash? The Japanese governments view driverless technology as beneficial for addressing the needs of an aging population. Research from the World Economic Forum highlights that Tokyo has designated several areas as "test zones" for autonomous vehicles, helping accelerate efforts to introduce safe driverless transportation in the capital. The entry of Waymo into Japan also coincides with significant changes in the competitive landscape for robotaxis. General Motors has recently announced it will cease operations of its Cruise robotaxi division, effectively withdrawing from the driverless taxi market in Japan, where it had previously allied with Honda. Honda aims to reconsider its strategy for launching a driverless ride-hail service, initially slated for early 2026, following GM's exit from the robotaxi sector. Waymo's imminent road tests are set against a backdrop of increasing scrutiny regarding the safety and efficacy of autonomous vehicles. With competing efforts from local startups like Tier IV and ZMP, as well as initiatives from companies such as Monet Technologies -- a Toyota-affiliated firm -- Waymo's entry into the Japanese market will be closely monitored.

Waymo to test autonomous vehicles in Tokyo in early 2025 By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)'s Waymo, a developer of autonomous vehicles, has revealed plans to begin testing its self-driving cars in Tokyo in early 2025. This marks the company's first move towards international expansion. The company has not yet confirmed plans to commence commercial service in Tokyo. However, Waymo is set to collaborate with Nihon Kotsu, Japan's largest taxi operator, and taxi app GO to initiate testing of its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles on Tokyo's roads. Initially, Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually operate the Waymo vehicles to map key areas of Tokyo, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. The data collected from these manned test drives will be utilized to train Waymo's AI systems. Additionally, Waymo will test its robotaxis on a closed course in the U.S., designed to replicate driving conditions in Japan. The first phase of this partnership, expected to span several quarters, was announced by Waymo to CNBC. The company also communicated its intention to maintain a long-term presence in Japan. Waymo stated in a release, "Our upcoming road trip to Tokyo gives us the chance to work alongside local partners, government officials, and community groups to understand the new landscape. We'll learn how Waymo can serve Tokyo's residents and become a beneficial part of the city's transportation ecosystem." Nihon Kotsu will be responsible for the management and servicing of Waymo's vehicles in Japan, according to the companies. In 2024, Waymo announced a series of expansions across the U.S. Earlier this month, the company revealed plans for new testing in Miami in 2025. In November, it launched its driverless ride hail service across Los Angeles, and in September, it announced planned expansions into Austin and Atlanta in partnership with Uber (NYSE:UBER). The initiative in Japan signifies Waymo's first venture into a left-hand traffic market.