Toyota will begin assembling Waymo-equipped bZ4X electric SUVs directly on its factory line in Japan, integrating autonomous vehicle components during manufacturing rather than retrofitting finished vehicles—a cost-reduction move ahead of Waymo's planned robotaxi launches starting in Tokyo in 2027.
The vehicles will be produced at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Aichi Prefecture. Waymo's self-driving sensors and computing hardware will be installed on the assembly line as each bZ4X is built, eliminating the labor, custom brackets, and shipping costs that came with Waymo's previous method of purchasing completed vehicles, retrofitting them in separate facilities, and deploying them.
This manufacturing integration builds on a partnership between Waymo and Toyota formed in April 2025. Waymo, a division of Alphabet, operates as a software and systems supplier rather than a vehicle manufacturer—a business model that depends on proving its technology works across multiple vehicle platforms and manufacturers.
Waymo currently deploys robotaxis using the Jaguar I-Pace and Zeekr RT models, with a Hyundai Ioniq 5-based vehicle coming soon. Adding the Toyota bZ4X demonstrates that Waymo's autonomous driving stack can scale across different architectures and manufacturers, a critical validation for a company seeking to license its technology globally.
Initial testing will begin in Japan next year, followed by expansion to the United Kingdom and other markets. Beyond robotaxi services, Waymo is also working with Woven by Toyota, the automaker's software mobility unit, to integrate its technology into consumer vehicles and improve fleet safety through operational and telemetry data.
