Waymo has begun international drone testing in Tokyo

American company Waymo, part of Alphabet’s holding company, has taken its autonomous cars outside the US – to Japan – for the first time. While the launch of a full commercial robotaxi service in the country has yet to be confirmed, the company is already calling the move a “significant milestone.”

The Waymo fleet will begin testing on public roads in Tokyo next week. It’s not a full-fledged launch of autonomous cars – in the first phase, drivers from Japanese carrier Nihon Kotsu will be driving the vehicles manually. The main task is to collect mapping data and understand the local road environment: left-hand traffic, dense urban development, complex intersections and interaction with pedestrians and cyclists.

Waymo has allocated about 25 cars for the ride, the first of which have already been spotted in a parking lot in Tokyo. The test zone covers seven key areas of the city, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chuo, Shinagawa and Koto. The cars will be driven in manual mode on these streets so that the company’s engineers can accumulate data on traffic patterns and the specifics of Japanese infrastructure.

Waymo emphasizes that it prepared for the trip in advance by training drivers and fleet operators through partner GO, an app popular in Japan. In addition, the company reached out to local authorities, road services and emergency agencies to ensure safety.

Waymo says it prepared for the trip in advance by training drivers and fleet operators through its partner GO, a popular app in Japan.

“In Japan, we operate on the same principles as in the U.S.: safety, community trust and partnership with local entities come first,” said Waymo’s head of business development, Nicole Gavel.

In its home country, the US, Waymo has already launched robotaxis in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin. Upcoming plans include expansion into Silicon Valley, Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC. The company has also announced future road tests in San Diego and Las Vegas.

In the meantime, China’s Apollo Go, Waymo’s direct competitor, has ramped up activity, with its drones completing 1.1 million paid rides in the last quarter of 2024 and preparing to enter the Hong Kong market.