Waymo launches its robotaxis abroad for the first time.
Waymo is expanding internationally for the first time, bringing its robotaxis to the streets of one of the busiest cities in the world.
Waymo has decided to expand its operations beyond the borders of the United States and will begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Tokyo at the beginning of next year. The company, which is part of Alphabet, plans to collaborate with Nihon Kotsu, the leading taxi company in the city, to manage the service of its vehicles. Additionally, Waymo will partner with GO, a popular taxi app in Japan.
In the first phase of the project, drivers from Nihon Kotsu will manually drive Waymo's vehicles to map key areas of Tokyo, including districts such as Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. It is expected that paid rides in robotaxis will be offered in the future as part of a pilot program, although the company has not provided a specific date for the launch of this service.
Waymo believes that the experience of driving in Tokyo will be essential to improve its autonomous vehicle technology, as it will allow them to adapt to left-hand traffic and the particularities of driving behavior in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The company is also in dialogue with government officials and local community groups to understand how it can integrate into Tokyo's transportation ecosystem.
Japan is currently facing a notable shortage of taxi drivers, which may have influenced Waymo's decision to start its tests in this country. However, establishing a fully operational robotaxi service throughout the city could take several years. Waymo has been testing its autonomous vehicles in several U.S. cities, such as San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, and recently announced its intention to begin operations in Miami.
In a context of increasing competition in the robotaxi market, General Motors made the decision to withdraw its funding from autonomous vehicle company Cruise due to high costs and challenges in scaling its business model.
Meanwhile, Tesla is also making progress in developing its own robotaxi, the Cybercab, which was recently unveiled by its founder, Elon Musk. This driverless vehicle has generated expectations about the future of autonomous car ownership by offering consumers the possibility of acquiring a vehicle that could change the landscape of personal transportation.
Waymo, already having one of the first functional robotaxi fleets in the U.S., continues to lead the way in this sector, operating approximately 700 autonomous vehicles in cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
In conclusion, both Waymo and Tesla are investing significantly in the evolution of their technologies in a market that faces not only technical challenges but also strict regulations that could influence the future of autonomous mobility.
