Starting in early 2025, Waymo, Alphabet's (GOOGL, Financials) autonomous driving technology division, said it would conduct its first foreign experiment in Tokyo, Japan. Working with Tokyo's biggest taxi company, Nihon Kotsu, and mobility platform GO, Waymo makes its first venture into the urban transportation scene in Japan.
The experiment will incorporate all-electric Jaguar I-PACE cars fitted with Waymo's autonomous driving technology. Originally using the cars manually to map important Tokyo areas like Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō, Nihon Kotsu will manage and maintain the vehicles. The pilot wants to fit Waymo's AI-powered driver to left-hand traffic and Japan's heavy density road conditions.
Waymo said that the initiative complements Japan's larger transportation plan, which supports creative technology meant to increase mobility and safety. To guarantee adherence to local regulations and seamless incorporation into Tokyo's streets, the firm is interacting with Japanese politicians, legislators, and authorities of safety.
The effort fits well Waymo's continuous safety and technological validation procedure. Information gathered from the Tokyo trials will enable the system to negotiate unfamiliar worldwide conditions more effectively. With tens of millions of autonomous kilometers clocked, the shift mirrors Waymo's past performance on American public roads.
As the experiment goes on, Waymo, Nihon Kotsu, and GO said they would provide updates discussing ideas on the deployment and integration of autonomous cars in Tokyo's transportation network.
