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Waymo, GO and Nihon Kotsu Aim for Driverless Tokyo Taxi Launch in 2027

September 14, 2026 at 20:27 EDT

Robotics

Waymo, GO and Nihon Kotsu have agreed to prepare a fully autonomous ride-hailing service for public riders in Tokyo in 2027, moving their Japan project from testing toward a commercial launch target. The companies say the service will depend on regulatory approvals and completion of validation for the Waymo Driver and the joint operating system.

Sept. 14, 2026 | Waymo, GO, Nihon Kotsu

Tokyo Robotaxis Target 2027

The partners are preparing unmanned public rides in Tokyo, with service dependent on permits and final validation. The planned ramp would move from an initial fleet toward around 100 vehicles.

2027

Target for public rider service

~100

Vehicles after gradual expansion

500,000+

Waymo trips served each week

U.S. cities with fully autonomous operations

Safety Claim: Relative Crash Rate

Serious-injury-or-worse crashes, human benchmark = 100%.

100%Human benchmark

6%Waymo rate

The published metric implies a 94% reduction in this category.

Path To Public Rides

Supervised autonomyTokyo roads and crowds

→

PermitsNational and local approvals

→

App accessGO and Waymo apps

→

Fleet rampToward around 100 vehicles

Demand Case

After-hours mobility
Private, predictable cabin
Potential help for driver shortages

Execution Risk

Permits and licenses still required
Tokyo-specific validation remains key
Edge cases and accountability questions

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