Waymo targets 2027 for its first unsupervised, commercial robotaxi service in Tokyo. This expansion follows testing that began in early 2025. The company works with Nihon Kotsu, the largest taxi company in Tokyo, and the ride-hailing app GO. These partners manage fleet operations and integration with the Japanese taxi industry. Nihon Kotsu drivers currently operate the vehicles manually to map districts such as Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chuo, Shinagawa, and Koto. This initial phase allows the company to adapt its technology to left-hand traffic and the specific nuances of a dense urban environment. Waymo intends to deploy an initial fleet of approximately 100 autonomous vehicles once it gains regulatory approval. The company engages with Japanese policymakers, regulators, and local safety officials to ensure a responsible implementation of its technology.
Navigating Tokyo’s Urban Geometry
Tokyo’s road network presents specific technical requirements for the Waymo Driver. The city features many narrow backstreets and a high percentage of irregularly shaped or uncontrolled intersections. While Waymo operates in US cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, the expansion into Tokyo requires the Waymo Driver to adapt to left-hand traffic and the complex, narrow streets found throughout the Japanese capital. The company uses all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles for these operations. To facilitate this, Waymo works with Nihon Kotsu to train its personnel on operating vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems. This deployment allows the company to evaluate how its AI-powered driver generalizes to new environments through simulation.
Demographic Drivers in Japan
Japan faces a significant labor shortage in its professional driving sector. The number of taxi drivers in Japan fell by 20% since 2019 because workers age out and younger citizens show less interest in the profession. Over 30% of the Japanese population is older than 60. By 2065, one in 2.6 citizens will be 65 or older, and one in 3.9 will be 75 or older. This demographic trend creates a necessity for autonomous solutions that allow elderly residents to age in place. Tokyo also has convenient train, subway, and bus networks, which makes taxi travel a luxury for many. Most people in Tokyo look for cabs between downtown locations or for trips from downtown back to the suburbs after trains stop running. Waymo views its expansion as a way to address these long-term mobility needs and the growing cab scarcity.
Scaling the US Fleet and Manufacturing
Waymo’s US fleet consists of 3,871 vehicles as of a June 2026 federal safety filing. This figure represents an 8.7-fold increase from the 444 vehicles reported in February 2024. The company reached 500,000 paid trips per week in March 2026, compared to 50,000 trips per week in May 2024. Waymo’s total coverage across 11 US cities exceeds 1,400 square miles. This coverage is larger than the state of Rhode Island, which measures 1,034 square miles. The company’s new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, occupies 239,000 square feet and works with partner Magna to build thousands of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles equipped with fully autonomous technology. This facility serves as the epicenter for growth and will eventually build tens of thousands of vehicles per year using an automated assembly line.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| US Fleet (June 2026) | 3,871 vehicles |
| Weekly Paid Rides (March 2026) | 500,000 |
| Total Coverage Area | 1,400 square miles |
| US Cities Served | 11 |
Hardware Evolution and the Sixth-Generation Driver
The 6th-generation Waymo Driver uses the Geely Zeekr RT platform, which the company calls Ojai. This hardware includes higher-resolution image sensors, lidar, and radar. The updated vision system identifies details in deep shadows or when facing high beams. Lidar sensors provide a 3D picture of the surroundings in various weather conditions, while new radar algorithms better track the distance, speed, and size of objects in rain or snow. Waymo also partnered with Hyundai to integrate its system into the Ioniq 5 SUV. Testing with these Hyundai vehicles began in 2025.
Austin Service and the Uber Model
In Austin, riders hail Waymo vehicles through the Uber app. The city does not have a dedicated Waymo app for hailing. If you are in Austin, you must use the Uber app to hail a Waymo. By requesting an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric ride, passengers can choose to be matched with a robotaxi without any additional upcharge. Users can hail a ride in neighborhoods such as Crestview, Windsor Park, Franklin Park, The Domain, and McKinney Falls State Park. Uber manages vehicle cleaning and repairs. Waymo remains responsible for the Waymo Driver, roadside assistance, and rider support. This partnership allows the company to reach more people without requiring them to download a separate app.
Safety Incidents and Regulatory Challenges
Waymo’s safety record in Austin faces scrutiny due to several specific incidents. A Waymo vehicle blocked an Austin-Travis County EMS ambulance responding to a mass shooting on West Sixth Street. The National Transportation Safety Board found that a human remote assistance agent directed a Waymo robotaxi to pass a stopped school bus in Austin while students were boarding. In January 2026, a robotaxi hit a pedestrian near a school in Santa Monica, California. A Waymo vehicle also collided with a raccoon on a highway in Austin in January.
A Waymo Safety Impact report notes that through March 2025, the Waymo Driver had 88% fewer crashes leading to serious injuries or worse and 78% fewer injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers. The technology also had 93% fewer crashes with injuries to pedestrians, 81% fewer with cyclists, and 86% fewer with motorcyclists. Despite these figures, the company has faced issues with temporary traffic controls. In May 2026, Waymo vehicles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami entered construction zones by passing between cones. In April 2026, vehicles in Phoenix entered planned freeway construction zones by driving past ramp closure signs.
The Austin Robotaxi Competition
Tesla operates a robotaxi service in Austin with roughly 44 vehicles. Tesla’s service uses Model Y vehicles and costs $4.20 per ride. Waymo operates about 160 more vehicles than Tesla in the Austin area. Tesla reported 15 crashes since its June launch. Waymo’s wait times in Austin average 5.7 minutes, while Tesla’s wait times average over 15 minutes. Tesla also launched in Houston and Dallas in April, with geofences of roughly 25 and 30 to 35 square miles. Waymo’s service area in Austin covers between 90 and 130 square miles. Will the competition between Tesla and Waymo in Austin lead to a permanent market split?
