Overview

• Waymo has deployed 25 driver-operated electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Tokyo to collect mapping data and study local driving conditions.
• The testing is focused on seven central wards of Tokyo, including Minato, Shinjuku, and Shibuya, to understand dense urban traffic and left-hand driving nuances.
• Local partnerships with Nihon Kotsu, a major taxi firm, and the taxi-hailing app GO are integral to managing and supporting the operations.
• This initial phase involves human drivers manually operating the vehicles to gather data, with plans to progress to autonomous testing in the future.
• Waymo is evaluating the possibility of launching a commercial robotaxi service in Japan, though no timeline has been confirmed.