Waymo will begin testing its driverless cars in Tokyo next year

Waymo will deploy its driverless cars in Japan and test its technology in another country for the first time. According to CNBCthe company will begin testing its Jaguar I-PACE cars in Tokyo in early 2025. and expects to remain in the country for an “extended period”. During the vehicles’ experimental phase, which will last several quarters, human drivers from Japanese taxi company Nihon Kotsu will operate Waymo’s cars so that its technology can map the city. In particular, they drive Waymo’s Jaguar I-PACE on the streets of Shinjuku, Shibuya and other key areas of Tokyo.

The data collected from these tests will then be used to train the company’s self-driving system. Waymo will also recreate driving conditions in Tokyo on a closed course in the US, where it will put more of its robotics to the test and use data gathered from that effort for training. The company has yet to announce when it will open rides to the public, but it has already formed a partnership with Japanese taxi app GO, which will likely offer driverless rides to users in the future. like CNBC notes that Japan is eager to introduce driverless rides as a transportation option despite its efficient train system due to its aging population. Last year, it change your laws to allow Level 4 autonomous driving on its roads.

In the US, Waymo operates its self-driving cars in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In recent months, the company has announced several plans to introduce its vehicles to more locations and raised $5.6 billion to fund its expansion to Austin and Atlanta next year. Waymo will also introduce its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Miami in early 2025 and will offer rides to the public in the city sometime in 2026.

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