On September 15th, Waymo, the autonomous driving branch of Alphabet, joined forces with GO Inc., a prominent ride-hailing app operator in Japan, and Nihon Kotsu, a renowned taxi company, to unveil their ambitious plan: introducing Japan's inaugural fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo by 2027. The definitive launch date of this service hinges on obtaining regulatory approvals and the outcomes of rigorous technical validations. At the outset, a fleet of a specified magnitude will be deployed for trial runs, with a phased expansion to encompass roughly 100 self-driving vehicles, catering to the heart of Tokyo's districts. Commuters will have the convenience of hailing these vehicles via the GO platform as well as the Waymo app.
