Waymo and Toyota have reached a preliminary agreement to explore a potential partnership focused on developing and deploying a new autonomous vehicle platform. According to a blog post published by Waymo, the collaboration could eventually result in producing autonomous vehicles specifically tailored for ride-hailing services, as well as integrating self-driving technology into Toyota’s consumer vehicles.
Though the partnership remains in its early stages and lacks concrete specifics at this moment, a spokesperson indicated that further details could be announced if discussions progress into a formal arrangement. This exploratory phase between Waymo and Toyota aims primarily at building an autonomous platform suitable for a robotaxi business, while also evaluating how to incorporate Waymo’s autonomous driving solutions into Toyota’s next-generation vehicles intended for public sale.
“We share a strong sense of purpose and a common vision with Waymo in advancing safety through automated driving technology,” remarked Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota’s Executive Vice President and member of the company’s board. Nakajima reiterated Toyota’s commitment toward achieving zero traffic accidents and developing inclusive, accessible mobility solutions.
The timing of this announcement is particularly notable following Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai’s recent comments hinting that Waymo was considering bringing its autonomous technology into personally owned vehicles. While Waymo has previously indicated openness to licensing its systems, this marked the first direct public acknowledgment from its parent company’s top executive regarding potential plans in the consumer space.
Over the past several years, Waymo has steadily transitioned from an experimental research project to a fully operational commercial enterprise. Currently operating robotaxi fleets in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and soon Atlanta, Waymo initially handled all aspects of its autonomous transport business—from developing the self-driving vehicles to performing fleet management, customer support, and app development.
Recently, however, Waymo has shifted its strategy toward more collaborative approaches with existing service providers. In Phoenix, the company recently partnered with Moove to operate its fleet management. Meanwhile, in Austin—and soon in Atlanta—it has entrusted Uber with a significant portion of its operations as part of the “Waymo on Uber” initiative. In that arrangement, Waymo maintains control over vehicle testing, roadside support, and select rider services, while Uber manages vehicle maintenance, cleaning, inspections, charging, and depot activities through a subsidiary named Avomo.
