Key facts
- Waymo, GO, and Nihon Kotsu aim to launch Japan's first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027.
- The service will operate without drivers.
- The initial fleet will be small, with plans to expand to about 100 vehicles.
- Regulatory approvals and validation of Waymo's technology are required before launch.
- Waymo began collecting data in Tokyo in 2025 using human-driven vehicles.
Alphabet's autonomous driving unit Waymo, in partnership with Japanese taxi app operator GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu, announced on Tuesday their intention to launch Japan's first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027. The companies stated that the service will initially operate with a small fleet, with plans to expand to approximately 100 vehicles across key Tokyo neighborhoods, contingent upon securing regulatory approvals and validating Waymo's technology and operating model.
Once approvals are obtained and the service is fully validated, it will function without drivers and be accessible via both the GO and Waymo applications. Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana indicated that the service would be unmanned for the public from its inception, with a commitment to responsibly growing the fleet over time. This initiative represents a significant step in Waymo's expansion into Japan, following its commencement of data collection in Tokyo in 2025 using human-driven Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, marking its first public-road operations outside the United States.
The companies believe the driverless taxi service could help address Japan's existing driver shortage and its broader demographic challenge of population decline. Separately, Japanese automaker Nissan is collaborating with British startup Wayve and Uber Technologies on their own robotaxi development efforts.