GoKawiilToyota to build bZ4X robotaxis for Waymo's Japan and UK expansion
Waymo and Toyota announced a partnership under which Toyota will manufacture 2027 bZ4X electric vehicles fitted with Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka plant in Japan. Testing will begin in Japan next year, with plans to extend the right-hand-drive vehicles to the U.K., where Waymo has been testing Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London ahead of a planned robotaxi launch.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The deal follows an 18-month-old preliminary agreement between the two companies and now looks like a concrete vehicle-supply arrangement that lets Waymo add a new model suited to regional markets. Toyota executive Hiroki Nakajima suggested the collaboration could eventually extend beyond robotaxis into personally owned vehicles and broader safety initiatives, though the companies have not detailed what that would involve.
- Toyota will build autonomous 2027 bZ4X vehicles for Waymo at its Takaoka factory in Japan
- Testing starts in Japan next year, with eventual deployment planned in right-hand-drive markets like the U.K.
- Executives hint the partnership could expand to personally owned Toyota vehicles and other safety-focused initiatives
Toyota bZ4X Electric SUV — The bZ4X is the very EV platform Toyota is building out for Waymo's autonomous robotaxi fleets, so owning one lets you experience the same base vehicle firsthand. It's a spacious, all-electric SUV with modern tech and solid range, making it a great way to get a taste of the EV future these self-driving programs are built on.
See Toyota bZ4X Electric SUV on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techcrunch.com — Kirsten Korosec, 2026-10-30
Published there as: “Waymo taps Toyota to supply robotaxis for Japan and the U.K.”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.