Waymo to launch driverless service in Tokyo by 2027

Waymo is teaming up with Japanese taxi operator Nihon Kotsu and ride-hailing app GO to launch a fully driverless ride-hailing service in Tokyo, with public rides expected to begin in 2027. If launched as planned, the service would be Japan’s first fully autonomous robotaxi operation.

The rollout could also help address a growing problem for Tokyo and Japan in general, where a shrinking pool of professional drivers is putting immense pressure on the transportation sector.

Full commercial launch planned, not trial

The partners outlined the plan in a Waymo blog post dated Monday, September 14, saying the service is intended to operate commercially and not just as a limited pilot. Passengers will be able to book driverless rides through the GO app, which they already use to hail conventional taxis. Waymo’s own app will also support bookings.

GO President Hiroshi Nakajima said users will be able to hail both conventional taxis and autonomous trips with Waymo via the ‘GO’ taxi app, describing the effort as a launch of a full commercial service. Nihon Kotsu President Yasuharu Wakabayashi said the project could help maintain reliable transportation as Japan faces “future driver shortages.” The country’s aging population is expected to deepen the labor shortage, putting further pressure on the supply of professional drivers.

What needs to happen before Waymo can launch

Waymo has stated that a 2027 launch was not a given, as being able to offer its first fully autonomous trips to Tokyo passengers depends on two things. These include approval from national and local regulators, and completion of the technical validation it is currently running with its partners.

The groundwork has been underway for a while. Waymo said it began operating in Tokyo in 2025, with its vehicles spending the following year navigating the city’s roads autonomously under the supervision of Nihon Kotsu crew members. The supervised runs gave the company experience with Tokyo’s narrow residential streets and crowded urban areas. The partnership itself dates back to an initial announcement in December 2024.

The companies are now expanding their local operations while working with government ministries to secure the permits and licenses required to operate a driverless fleet commercially.

From a small fleet to about 100 cars

Waymo plans to launch with an initial fleet before gradually expanding to about 100 vehicles across key neighborhoods in Tokyo.

The company is using its US operations as a reference point for the expansion. Waymo says it now provides more than 500,000 rides a week across more than 15 US cities and claims its autonomous driving system is more than 15 times safer than a human driver. The company did not independently substantiate that figure in its announcement.

Reuters described the Tokyo rollout as part of Waymo’s extensive international expansion, bringing its driverless technology to the city’s dense and challenging road network while addressing Japan’s shortage of professional drivers.

Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-chief executive, said expanding to Tokyo with GO and Nihon Kotsu is “the next chapter” in the company’s scaling effort.

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