Waymo is set to begin testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in Japan next week, marking the Alphabet-owned company’s first foray outside the United States and a significant milestone in its global expansion.
This upcoming testing program is Waymo’s first international deployment, although the company has not yet committed to launching a full commercial robotaxi service in Japan. Despite this, the move is being celebrated internally as an important step forward. Waymo describes the project as a “road trip” designed to collect valuable data about Japanese driving nuances, such as left-hand traffic, dense urban layouts, and the distinct complexity of Tokyo’s roadways.
To support the trial, Waymo is sending approximately 25 vehicles to Japan, with the first already spotted in a Tokyo parking lot. These vehicles will not be operating autonomously during this initial phase. Instead, they will be driven manually by trained drivers from Nihon Kotsu, one of Japan’s leading taxi fleet operators. The primary purpose of this manual operation is to gather detailed mapping and traffic data tailored to the challenges of Tokyo’s unique environment.
Engineers at Waymo expect to encounter Tokyo’s idiosyncratic driving conditions, which include tight, winding roads and the presence of thousands of pedestrians and cyclists mingling with vehicle traffic. According to reports from social media, these complex and crowded settings will present real challenges for Waymo’s mapping and data-collection teams as they learn to navigate the intricacies of the city’s transportation ecosystem.
The testing initiative will see these manually-driven vehicles traverse seven key wards in central Tokyo: Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. This approach is consistent with Waymo’s standard operating procedure when entering a new city, ensuring that local traffic patterns and road features are thoroughly documented before any autonomous driving trials commence.
Preparations for the road tests have been extensive. In addition to deploying the vehicles, Waymo has been training local drivers and fleet managers from GO, a popular taxi-hailing app in Japan. The company has also been closely coordinating with local officials, government agencies, and first responders to ensure the tests are conducted safely and in compliance with all relevant regulations.
Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of business development and strategic partnerships, emphasized the company’s dedication to community engagement and safety. “In Tokyo, we are abiding by the same steadfast principles that guide us in the U.S. — commitment to safety, dedication to earning trust in communities where we operate, and collaboration with local officials and community groups here in Tokyo,” Gavel stated.
Currently, Waymo operates commercial robotaxi services in several major U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. Plans for imminent expansion include additional American cities such as Silicon Valley, Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC. Waymo also intends to conduct similar road trip tests in San Diego and Las Vegas in the near future.
The launch of Waymo’s Japanese road tests comes as regional competitors advance their own autonomous vehicle projects. China’s Apollo Go robotaxi service recently announced it completed 1.1 million paid driverless rides in the final quarter of 2024 and will soon expand its operations to Hong Kong. Both Waymo and Apollo Go are now averaging approximately 200,000 paid autonomous trips each week, underlining the rapid development and adoption of driverless taxi services worldwide.
