Toyota and Waymo are taking their autonomous-driving partnership into vehicle production, with a purpose-built bZ4X fleet scheduled to begin testing and validation in Japan in 2027. The companies announced the next phase of their collaboration on October 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toyota will assemble the vehicles at its Takaoka plant in Aichi Prefecture. Manufacturing the base car and installing Waymo\u2019s autonomous-driving hardware at the same location is intended to support larger-scale deployment. The vehicle will also feature automatic doors, a powered liftgate and extra rear-seat space for passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The companies plan to bring the platform to the United Kingdom and other markets served by Waymo in subsequent years. Their target is Level 4 operation, where the driving system handles the journey within defined operating conditions. The announcement does not mean that a public driverless bZ4X service is already available in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toyota, Waymo and Woven by Toyota will also explore how operational experience and driving data could improve road safety, while continuing discussions about autonomous technology for privately owned Toyota vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n