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The
move was somewhat anticipated, as the use of such technology
speeds up around the world, and Toyota Motor Corp. has been
aggressive about its intention to stay on top of such advances.
“Toyota is committed to realizing a society with zero traffic
accidents and becoming a mobility company that delivers mobility
for all. We share a strong sense of purpose and a common vision
with Waymo in advancing safety through automated driving
technology,” Toyota Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima
said in a statement.
Waymo, which started out as the Google Self-Driving Car Project
in 2009, now offers fully autonomous ride-hailing services in
San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Austin, and is rolling
them out in other U.S. cities. It also has a partnership with
ride-hailing leader Uber.
Toyota has built a city, complete with streets and housing, near
Mount Fuji called Woven City to test robotics, artificial
intelligence and autonomous zero-emissions transportation. The
maker of the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models tends to be
very cautious about rolling out auto technology, seeking to
protect its reputation as a safe and environmentally conscious
manufacturer.
Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO at Waymo, said partners were key to
winning trust.
“This requires global partners like Toyota that share our
commitment to improving road safety and expanding accessible
transportation,” Mawakana said.
Details of the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Both sides
said they were still exploring how their collaboration might
develop into actual products.
Although there are various test versions of fully autonomous
vehicles in Japan, they are for now limited to certain
restricted areas. Other companies and automakers are working on
similar services, including public transportation.
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