Waymo Drives Into Tokyo: Driverless Taxis Coming 2027

Alphabet Inc.'s autonomous driving unit, Waymo, is preparing to introduce a fully driverless commercial taxi service in Tokyo, Japan, targeting a 2027 launch. This significant expansion into a key international market follows years of development and operation in U.S. cities.

Waymo has been actively engaging with the Tokyo market since 2025, initially collecting data with human-driven vehicles and subsequently conducting autonomous test drives supervised by local personnel. The company is leveraging established local partners, mobility platform GO and taxi operator Nihon Kotsu, to facilitate its entry and operations.

The planned service aims to utilize a growing fleet, starting small and expanding to approximately 100 vehicles across crucial Tokyo districts. This initiative is partly motivated by Japan's demographic challenges, including an aging population and anticipated labor shortages in the driving sector.

While the 2027 target is ambitious, the full commercial launch is contingent upon securing necessary regulatory approvals from both national and local authorities, alongside the successful validation of Waymo's technology and joint operational capabilities.