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

TOKYO - Alphabet’s Waymo, Japanese taxi app operator GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu said on Tuesday they aim to launch Japan’s first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027, expanding a partnership that has been collecting road data in the capital since 2025.

Photo: Waymo

The companies have run public-road tests in seven Tokyo wards since 2025, with Nihon Kotsu crew members supervising Waymo vehicles as the system learned the city’s streets. GO will take hails through its taxi app; the service will also be available in the Waymo app, they said.

They plan to start with a small fleet and expand to about 100 vehicles across key Tokyo neighborhoods, subject to regulatory approvals and ongoing validation of Waymo’s technology and the joint operating model. Once the service is fully validated, it will operate without drivers.

Photo: Waymo

“From day one, this will be an unmanned service for the public,” Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told reporters in Tokyo, according to Reuters. “We’ll grow our fleet responsibly over time, steadily operating until anyone in Tokyo can download an app and take a ride.”