Waymo will use Toyota electric cars for driverless taxis in Japan

Waymo, the driverless taxi company, will start testing self-driving versions of Toyota's electric bZ4X in Japan next year. Toyota announced the partnership on Friday. The cars are also meant for other countries where people drive on the right side of the car, such as the U.K.

What changed

Toyota will build the 2027 bZ4X and install Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan. In North America, the same electric car is now called the BZ. Japan comes first. Waymo says it intends to run a robotaxi service there eventually.

The U.K. is the next target. Waymo has tested Jaguar I-Pace cars in London for months. It plans to launch a service there once it gets the needed permits.

What is not known yet

The deal follows a preliminary agreement signed 18 months ago. For now, it looks like a standard supplier arrangement that gives Waymo a new car model for specific regions.

The two companies say they will keep looking at putting Waymo's technology in Toyota cars that people own. They also mention future projects that use lessons from Waymo's real-world driving to improve safety for other road users. No details were given on either, and no launch dates for Japan or the U.K. were shared.