Alphabet’s autonomous driving unit Waymo is going overseas for the first time and testing its tech in Japan. In early 2025, the company will begin testing its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Tokyo, with plans to stay in the region for the foreseeable future.
Waymo announced that it is partnering with Japanese taxi company Nihon Kotsu for the initial phase, where human drivers will operate Waymo’s cars so that the software can map the city. Drivers behind the wheel of Waymo’s Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will be deployed through the streets of key areas of the city, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō.
Through the initial phase in Tokyo, Waymo says it can evaluate how its AI-powered driver generalizes to new environments through simulation and adapts to both left-side driving and new driving nuances in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.
So far, Waymo hasn’t announced when it will open rides to the public, but it has announced a partnership with Japan’s GO taxi app, which presumably means riders can book rides via the app in the future.
Japan, for its part, amended its laws to allow level 4 autonomous driving on its roads. And despite an efficient train system, CNBC reported that the country’s aging population could especially benefit from robotaxis providing door-to-door service.
After getting a hefty $5.6 billion in fresh capital last month, Waymo is now reported to be valued at more than $45 billion, with the latest round of financing led by Google-owned Alphabet included outside investors. Alongside an expanded partnership with Uber, the influx of cash will help the company expand its Waymo-One robotaxi service in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami, delivering more than 150,000 paid trips each week. Tokyo is the company’s first international destination.
Electrek’s Take
Waymo has come to symbolize progress in the self-driving space, after years of setbacks with the technology and a host of PR problems. For one, earlier this year, a Waymo robotaxi hit a cyclist in San Francisco – luckily that cyclist had only minor injuries. Not to mention this video making the rounds of a Waymo robotaxi endlessly circling a roundabout – so the software still has quite a few kinks to work out.
Of course, now that Cruise is out, Waymo still faces some potential competition from Tesla, which announced its self-driving Cybercab robotaxi at its We, Robot event. Tesla already offers a ride-hailing service for its Bay Area employees, but the company relies on safety drivers for now.
Image credit: Waymo press release
If you’re an electric vehicle owner, charge up your car at home with rooftop solar panels. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing on solar, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
