Taxi app GO, US-baed auto-driving mobility Waymo under Alphabet and taxi operator Nihon Kotsu signed a strategic partnership for commercialization of auto-driving taxi in Tokyo. They aim to start the Japan’s first complete unmanned taxi business under the auto-driving level 4 by the end of 2027.
The three companies have been conducting public road test runs in seven wards of Tokyo since 2025. Currently, they are continuing these tests with a Nihon Kotsu driver on board. Building on this progress—and with safety as the top priority—they are now moving to a new phase aimed at providing fully driverless services to the general public.
The official launch date will be determined once safety is firmly established and all necessary permits and licenses, required under laws such as the Road Traffic Act and the Road Transportation Act, are secured.
They have a plan to have a fleet of approximately 100 auto-driving taxis step by step. Users will be able to access the service via both the "GO" taxi app and the "Waymo" app.
