Well, that was fast. Just two days after Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo is considering selling robotaxis to individuals one day, the company signed a deal with Toyota that could make this a reality.
In a joint press release, Waymo and Toyota said they’ve reached a “preliminary agreement” to “explore a collaboration focused on accelerating the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies.”
The two companies plan to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform, and are looking to build the next-generation of personally owned vehicles. “The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions,” the press release says.
While all that sounds very tentative, it boils down to this: Waymo has the self-driving tech, and Toyota has the cars. Sometime down the line, the two companies might start selling Toyota-built cars with Waymo’s autonomous driving technology to end users.
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Waymo’s current fleet of robotaxis, operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, consists of Jaguar I-Pace vehicles fitted with a lot additional cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and LIDAR sensors. Waymo does not build or sell cars to individual users; Toyota, on the other hand, is the world’s largest automaker, known for its reliable cars sold under the Toyota and Lexus brands.
It’s unclear (and probably too early to tell) whether the two companies will launch a car under an entirely new brand, or if it will it be a smarter Toyota. For now, it appears that Waymo will incorporate some Toyotas into its fleet and lend some of its self-driving tech to Toyota cars.
“We look forward to exploring this strategic partnership, incorporating their vehicles into our ride-hailing fleet and bringing the magic of Waymo’s autonomous driving technology to Toyota customers,” said Waymo co-CEO Takedra Mawakana, in a statement.
Tesla has launched a robotaxi service, but only for employees
The two companies better hurry up with their plans, because Tesla is planning to start selling robotaxis to customers soon. The company is currently testing an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin and the San Francisco Bay area, with plans to start producing the fully autonomous Cybercab vehicle in 2026.
