Waymo to begin testing in Tokyo, its first international destination

Alphabet-owned Waymo introduced Monday that it’s going to begin testing its autonomous automobiles in Tokyo in early 2025, the corporate’s first step towards worldwide growth. 

Waymo hasn’t dedicated to start out industrial service in Tokyo but, however the robotaxi developer will associate with Japan’s largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu, and taxi app GO to start out testing its Jaguar I-PACE automobiles in Tokyo’s streets.

To begin, Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually function the Waymo automobiles to map key areas of the Japanese capital, together with Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. 

Knowledge from the manned check drives will assist practice the corporate’s AI programs. Waymo may even check its robotaxis on a closed course within the U.S. constructed to imitate driving circumstances in Japan.

That is the primary part of the partnerships, which can final a number of quarters, Waymo instructed CNBC, including that it expects to stay in Japan for an prolonged interval.

“Our upcoming street journey to Tokyo provides us the possibility to work alongside native companions, authorities officers, and group teams to know the brand new panorama,” Waymo stated in a press release. “We’ll find out how Waymo can serve Tokyo’s residents and turn out to be a useful a part of town’s transportation ecosystem.”

Nihon Kotsu will oversee the administration and servicing of Waymo’s automobiles in Japan, the businesses stated.

Waymo introduced a collection of expansions throughout the U.S. in 2024. Earlier this month, the corporate introduced new testing in Miami in 2025, it made its driverless journey hail service available across Los Angeles in November, and in September, it introduced deliberate expansions into Austin and Atlanta in partnership with Uber. 

The transfer into Japan marks the corporate’s first in a left-hand site visitors market.

Each the Japanese nationwide authorities and Tokyo Metropolitan authorities see driverless know-how as a possible boon to the nation’s growing older inhabitants, in keeping with analysis by the World Economic Forum.

Tokyo has designated sure areas as “check zones” for self-driving vehicles hoping to hasten the arrival of secure driverless transportation programs there.

A number of builders are engaged on autonomous automobiles in Japan, together with native startup Tier IV and ZMP, a robotics firm that’s testing supply automobiles and buses in Tokyo. Monet Applied sciences, which is partly owned by Toyota, introduced plans to test a self-driving taxi service in Tokyo’s Odaiba district earlier this 12 months.

Waymo’s Japan growth announcement comes per week after General Motors introduced it was abandoning its Cruise robotaxi division. Honda, an outdoor investor in Cruise, instructed CNBC that it aimed to launch a driverless ride-hail service in Japan in early 2026 however would re-assess these plans and make changes if wanted.

Previous to GM’s retreat from robotaxis, Cruise had been considered one of Waymo’s main home rivals.

WATCH: GM pulls the plug on robotaxi plan