Waymo's next robotaxi will be a Toyota built for UK-style left-hand driving

Waymo's next robotaxi will be an electric Toyota bZ4X, built in Japan and designed for countries that drive on the left, including the UK, under a new partnership between the self-driving company and the Japanese carmaker.

Under the deal announced today, Toyota will manufacture 2027 model bZ4X vehicles and fit Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan.

Built for the left-hand side of the road

The autonomous bZ4X will first be tested in Japan from next year, where Waymo plans eventually to run a robotaxi service. But the vehicles are also intended for other countries that drive on the left, such as the UK.

Waymo has been testing its autonomous Jaguar I-Pace cars in London for months, and plans to launch a robotaxi service there once it receives the necessary permits.

From vague agreement to real cars

The announcement comes 18 months after Toyota and Waymo signed a preliminary agreement to explore developing and deploying a self-driving vehicle platform. For now, the partnership looks like a conventional supplier deal, helping Waymo meet regional needs and adding a new model to its fleet.

But it could go further. The companies say they will continue to look at bringing Waymo's self-driving technology to cars that people own themselves, not just robotaxis, and at using "insights from Waymo's real-world operations" to improve safety for other road users.

Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president of Toyota and a board member, said: "This collaboration will help scale that technology and bring it to customers in Japan and beyond through Waymo's ride-hailing service, and in parallel, Toyota will continue to explore how integrating vehicles with traffic infrastructure can make those roads safer still."

What it means for the UK

The UK passed the Automated Vehicles Act in 2024, setting out a legal framework for self-driving cars, and the government has said it wants to see pilot self-driving taxi and bus services on British roads. London is set to be the first UK city to see Waymo's service.

Birmingham and the surrounding region have a strong record in vehicle technology. Jaguar Land Rover, which made the I-Pace that Waymo uses in London, has its roots and major sites in and around the city, and universities and research centres in the Midlands have tested connected and autonomous vehicles for years.

Driverless taxis on Birmingham's streets are not on the immediate horizon, but a car built specifically for left-hand driving markets is a sign that the UK is firmly in the plans of one of the world's leading self-driving companies.