Alphabet's Waymo Expands Global Reach With Tokyo Robotaxi Testing, Eyes Left-Hand Traffic Challenges

Alphabet Inc‘s GOOG GOOGL autonomous driving unit Waymo said on Monday that it will start testing its robotaxis in Tokyo, Japan, beginning in early 2025.

What Happened: All-electric Jaguar I-PACEs equipped with Waymo’s autonomous driving technology will arrive in Tokyo in early 2025 and learn to adapt to left-hand traffic and other driving nuances of the city, the company said.

The company has partnered with taxi company Nihon Kotsu to oversee the management and servicing of Waymo’s vehicles. Drivers of the taxi company will initially operate the vehicles manually to map areas including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō.

The company, however, did not provide a timeline for when it intends to provide autonomous paid rides to members of the public.

Why It Matters: Tokyo is Waymo’s first step toward international markets.

“We are engaging with Japanese policymakers, regulators, and local safety officials to ensure a responsible and seamless implementation of Waymo’s technology to Tokyo’s streets,” the company said in a statement while adding it will take a “rigorous approach” to validating its technology’s safety and performance.

Waymo is currently providing autonomous paid rides to the public in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Waymo said that it is looking to open autonomous rides to people in Miami, Florida, as well in 2026.

Last week, General Motors said that it would no longer fund Cruise‘s robotaxi development but would instead combine the majority-owned unit with its technical teams. The robotaxi development work needs considerable time and resources to scale, GM reasoned, while adding that the robotaxi market is getting increasingly competitive.

Cruise, until late last year, was a major robotaxi player in the U.S. in the leagues of Waymo.

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