Do Son 
Waymo has recently announced a partnership with Toyota to explore the development and application of robotaxi technologies, with the shared goal of advancing personalized autonomous vehicles. This initiative aligns with previous remarks by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, who expressed interest in bringing self-driving vehicles directly to the consumer market.
In this collaboration, Waymo will contribute its autonomous driving technology, while Toyota will leverage its extensive expertise in vehicle engineering and manufacturing. Together, they aim to create autonomous vehicles designed for individual ownership. The partnership may also pave the way for Toyota-manufactured models to be integrated into Waymo’s ride-hailing service fleet.
Waymo has previously partnered with several automakers, including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Daimler, Hyundai, and China’s Geely, customizing vehicles to suit the needs of its autonomous mobility services.
This newly announced collaboration with Toyota does not impact Waymo’s ongoing partnerships with Hyundai, Geely, or others. In fact, it may bolster Waymo’s presence in the Japanese market by facilitating the use of Toyota models in its service offerings. Furthermore, the initiative underscores a vision in which more consumers can own autonomous vehicles—vehicles that, when not in use, could be shared with others, potentially becoming a source of supplementary income for their owners.
