Waymo's next robotaxi: a Toyota bZ4X built at Takaoka

Waymo's next robotaxi is a Toyota. Specifically, a 2027 bZ4X with Waymo's self-driving hardware integrated at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, rather than bolted on in a conversion shop afterwards. TechCrunch and Electrek both frame this as the first concrete vehicle out of the preliminary agreement the two companies signed in April 2025.

Testing starts in Japan next year, where Waymo intends to eventually run a robotaxi service. The right-hand-drive layout is also pointed at the UK, where Waymo has been running Jaguar I-Paces in London and is still waiting on regulatory approval. "The UK and 'other Waymo markets' come in later years, with no dates attached," per Electrek.

"Toyota's commitment to zero traffic accidents resonates deeply with us at Waymo," Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov said in the announcement. Toyota executive vice president and board member Hiroki Nakajima said the collaboration "will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo's ride-hailing service."

The robotaxi bZ4X picks up a few rider-focused changes: extra rear legroom, automatic doors, a power liftgate, and ambient lighting. The companies also say they will keep working on Waymo autonomy for personally owned Toyotas, plus safety projects with Woven by Toyota, the automaker's software arm. It is the latest entry in a crowded run of robotaxi and AV news on our radar; our autonomous-vehicles tracker has logged 52 stories over the last 90 days.