Waymo to begin commercial service in Tokyo in 2027

Fully driverless vehicles to navigate congested streets and narrow alleys

Rides bookable via GO and Waymo apps; Nihon Kotsu to manage fleet

More than half of Japanese respondents cite safety concerns in survey

A Waymo autonomous vehicle is unveiled in Tokyo on Tuesday. Waymo, the self-driving subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, plans to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in Tokyo in 2027 in partnership with Japanese ride-hailing app GO and taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, with plans to expand the fleet to about 100 vehicles. [Reuters]
A Waymo autonomous vehicle is unveiled in Tokyo on Tuesday. Waymo, the self-driving subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, plans to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in Tokyo in 2027 in partnership with Japanese ride-hailing app GO and taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, with plans to expand the fleet to about 100 vehicles. [Reuters]

The driverless taxi revolution spreading across the United States and China is coming to Tokyo. Waymo, the autonomous driving subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, plans to deploy up to 100 fully driverless robotaxis in the Japanese capital next year.

Waymo held a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday and announced it will launch a commercial driverless robotaxi service in the city in 2027, according to the Nikkei.

The service will operate with no driver in the vehicle. Cameras, radar and LiDAR sensors mounted on each car detect surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, while onboard mapping data guides the vehicle autonomously.

"When providing services to passengers, we place great importance on fully autonomous driving," Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said. "Our autonomous vehicles are adapting smoothly to everything from Tokyo's congested districts to its narrow back streets."

Waymo plans to scale the fleet to 100 vehicles in stages. Passengers can hail a ride through the Japanese taxi app GO or the Waymo app, and fares will be set based on Japan's existing taxi rate structure.

The vehicles are based on Jaguar's I-Pace electric vehicle. Nihon Kotsu, one of Japan's largest taxi operators, will handle fleet management and maintenance.

Waymo currently operates driverless taxis in 15 US cities and is preparing to launch services in London and Munich. In China, Baidu and Pony.ai are expanding pilot programs and racing toward full commercialization.

Competition is also emerging within Japan. British autonomous driving startup Wayve is working with Nissan, Uber and Hinomaru Kotsu to conduct a driverless taxi pilot before the end of this year.

Japan's taxi industry is counting on robotaxis to ease a chronic shortage of drivers.

"Robotaxis could be the answer to the accidents, labor shortages and transportation gaps that have long plagued taxi operators," said Kawanabe Ichiro, chairman of Nihon Kotsu.

However, regulatory and safety hurdles remain before full commercialization. In Japan, operating a driverless vehicle requires approval from the public safety commission of each metropolitan authority. Operators must also spell out specific conditions — including permitted zones, operating hours and rainfall thresholds — as well as remote monitoring protocols and procedures for handling accidents.

Public anxiety is another obstacle. In a survey conducted by research firm MM Soken in June, more than half of respondents said they had safety concerns about driverless vehicles.


sjy@heraldcorp.com