Waymo and Japanese partners target Tokyo driverless taxis in 2027

Waymo, GO, and Nihon Kotsu said on September 15 they aim to launch Japan's first fully unmanned Level 4 commercial taxi service in Tokyo during 2027, starting small and scaling toward about 100 vehicles bookable on the GO and Waymo apps. Supervised mapping with Nihon Kotsu drivers has been running across seven Tokyo wards since 2025. Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told reporters the service would be unmanned for the public from day one, subject to permits; Japanese rules still require a person in the driver's seat.