Waymo's Next Robotaxi Is a Toyota bZ Built at the Takaoka Plant

How the Toyota robotaxi differs

The car is a heavily modified Japanese-spec bZ. Waymo's sensors sit on the roof, in the front bumper, on both front wings, in the rear bumper, on the tailgate and in the rear spoiler. The body is otherwise unchanged, finished in plain white with Waymo lettering on the doors. Inside, Toyota has added automatic doors, a power tailgate, ambient lighting and more rear legroom, all things that matter to passengers who never touch the wheel.

The production bZ uses the e-TNGA platform, a 74.7 kWh battery and one or two motors with up to 160 kW (217 PS), giving up to 505 km (314 miles) of WLTP range. Toyota has not confirmed which version the robotaxi uses.

A change in how Waymo gets its cars

The key change is where the self-driving kit is fitted. Waymo's current Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, in service since 2018, and its Zeekr-built Ojai vans receive their sensors and computers after leaving a standard factory, at Waymo's own facility in Mesa, Arizona. With Toyota, the robotaxi comes off the same Takaoka line as the regular bZ. Hyundai has also said it will build "tens of thousands" of robotaxis for Waymo at its Georgia plant, which has not happened yet.

The partnership dates from April 2025. Waymo already runs a few left-hand-drive I-Pace cars in Tokyo, still with a safety driver. Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov said the companies "will start with the right-hand drive markets in Japan and the UK", without naming other countries. Toyota's software arm, Woven by Toyota, will use data from the robotaxi fleet to improve road safety, and Toyota executive Hiroki Nakajima called the deal "an important step toward a future with greater safety and peace of mind for all". No fleet size has been given.

What it means for the UK and Europe

For British readers, the plan points to factory-built, right-hand-drive Waymo cars arriving after the Japanese launch, though neither company has given a UK date. For car buyers, the more interesting part is the joint research into Waymo technology for privately owned Toyotas, which is still at an early stage and comes with no timeline.

Read the history of Toyota or browse the Toyota catalogue.