Waymo Plans Tokyo Driverless Taxis in 2027: How Visitors Will Book

Waymo plans to open driverless taxi rides to the public in Tokyo in 2027, working with Nihon Kotsu, one of the city’s largest taxi operators, and GO, a widely used Japanese taxi app. Riders would book through the GO or Waymo apps, and the fleet is set to grow to about 100 vehicles in key Tokyo neighborhoods. There is no launch date yet, and the service still needs national and local government approval.

Nothing changes for visitors to Tokyo this year. Waymo’s white Jaguar test cars are already on some city streets with people on board to supervise, but you cannot book a ride in one. For trips in 2027 and later, watch for an announcement of the service area and launch date before you count on a driverless ride, and keep using regular taxis in the meantime.

If you are planning a Tokyo stay, our guide to where to stay in Tokyo compares the city’s neighborhoods for first time and returning visitors.

Waymo Tokyo Launch Plan for 2027

In a blog post this month, Waymo said it plans to open its doors to Tokyo riders in 2027 with Nihon Kotsu and GO. Waymo provides the autonomous driving technology, GO provides the platform riders use to book, and Nihon Kotsu brings nearly a century of taxi operations in the city. Waymo said the service would run around the clock, on demand, in key neighborhoods, starting with a small fleet and expanding to about 100 vehicles.

Waymo said launch depends on approval from national and local governments and that the partners are working with the relevant ministries on permits and licenses. Nihon Kotsu president Yasuharu Wakabayashi said the company’s pride in safe, reliable and comfortable transport remains unchanged in the era of autonomous driving.

Testing in Tokyo Since 2025

Waymo arrived in Tokyo in 2025 and says it has more than a year of supervised autonomous driving in the city. Time Out reported that testing has covered seven Tokyo wards and that Tokyo is set to become the first Japanese city with self driving taxis, while noting there is no confirmed launch date and the service depends on regulatory approvals.

The test cars carry Japanese signs saying an autonomous driving trial is in progress. In the United States, Waymo says it now provides more than half a million trips a week across its service areas.

What It Could Mean for Visitors

Tokyo already has plenty of taxis, and the GO app is widely used to hail them, which makes it a natural place for tourists to book a driverless ride once the service opens. An app based booking could also help visitors who do not speak Japanese, since the destination is entered on a phone rather than explained to a driver. How much of that applies will depend on which neighborhoods are covered and whether the service opens to foreign app accounts at launch, which the partners have not said.

Early service areas for robotaxis are usually limited, and a fleet of about 100 cars is small for a city of Tokyo’s size. Expect limited availability at first, and keep trains, regular taxis and airport buses as your main plan. Waymo has not said whether rides will serve Haneda or Narita airports.

The partners have also not announced fares, accessibility features or luggage limits for Tokyo. Until they do, compare any robotaxi option with the train, which is usually the fastest way across central Tokyo, and with a regular taxi booked through the same GO app you would use for a driverless ride.

Other Driverless Taxi Launches

Waymo has been expanding quickly in the US, as we reported in our story on Waymo rides in Denver, San Diego and Tampa. If you are flying into Tokyo in the next few days, see our story on the new Lounge Us at Haneda Terminal 2.