Waymo recently hosted an event in Tokyo to share more about our autonomous driving technology and our progress in Tokyo to the local media specializing in automotive technology. As the original pioneer in the autonomous driving technology industry, Waymo has developed industry-leading hardware, AI and operations, which enabled the company to launch and scale the world’s first autonomous ride-hailing service, which serves over half a million trips every week across 10 U.S. cities.

And we’re building on this proven foundation ahead of opening our doors for the people of Tokyo, in partnership with Nihon Kotsu and GO. Since beginning autonomous driving operations with skilled Nihon Kotsu crew members behind the wheel, the Waymo Driver is adapting to the unique complexities of Tokyo’s streets.

The safety-proven Waymo Foundation Model leverages the benefits of an end-to-end approach while complimenting it with continuous safety validation resulting in demonstrably safe AI, developed and validated across more than 300 million autonomous kilometers on public roads across the U.S.A. This adds an advanced safety check before the Waymo Driver makes a move in the real world, enabling it to reason about its decision-making, while empowering it to learn and improve from its experience across our virtual training grounds and the real world alike.

Waymo’s Chief Product Officer Saswat Panigrahi was joined by Ichiro Kawanabe, Chairman of GO and Board Director of Nihon Kotsu, and Nicole Gavel, Senior Director Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships.

Ichiro Kawanabe, Chairman of GO and Board Director of Nihon Kotsu:

“When I first experienced Waymo in 2023, I was convinced that this represented the future of mobility. I am truly honored and deeply grateful that a world-leading autonomous driving technology company chose Tokyo as the site of its first international road trip. Through the partnership between Waymo, Nihon Kotsu, and GO, Nihon Kotsu drivers have been operating Waymo vehicles across a diverse range of road environments—from wide arterial roads to narrow local streets—since April last year. These efforts are focused on providing the driving data necessary to adapt the Waymo Driver to Tokyo’s complex and unique urban landscape. Looking ahead, we are genuinely excited for the day when fully autonomous vehicles begin operating on the streets of Tokyo, and when, together as three partners, we bring Japan’s first autonomous taxi service to life.”

Nicole Gavel, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Waymo, highlighted the strength of the collaboration:

“By combining Nihon Kotsu’s deep-rooted legacy with Waymo’s autonomous driving technology, we are laying the groundwork for a new chapter of mobility in Tokyo. We are taking our safety-proven technology—which already provides half a million fully autonomous trips a week without a representative in the vehicle—and teaching it to encompass the nuances of Tokyo’s streets. By working closely with our partners, we are ensuring our service is built with local expertise and harmoniously integrated into the city’s unique fabric, while upholding a shared commitment to safety and excellence.”

Saswat Panigrahi, Waymo’s Chief Product Officer, shared:

“Safety is at the core of everything we do as we build a strong foundation to serve the people of Tokyo. Building on a proven safety framework backed by 300 million rider-only kilometers and a 93% improvement in safety performance, we are proud of the steady progress we are making in Japan. We are grateful for the support from our partners at Nihon Kotsu and GO, and we can’t wait to open up our service for the people of Tokyo. ”

We are excited to share this next chapter with you; stay with us as we drive toward a future that moves us all, together.

2026年3月31日
報道関係各位
米国・カリフォルニア州で現地時間2026年3月30日に発表されたブログ内容の抄訳です。

Waymo、自動運転技術の解説と東京での取り組みの
進展を紹介するメディア向け説明会を開催

自動運転技術のリーディングカンパニーであるWaymo LLC（本社：米国カリフォルニア州）は、2026年3月27日、自動車技術分野を専門とする東京の現地メディアに対して説明会を開催しました。本説明会には、Waymo の最高製品責任者（Chief Product Ofiicer）であるサシュワット・パニグラヒ（ Saswat Panigrahi）、事業開発および戦略的パートナーシップ責任者（Senior Director, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships）であるニコール・ガベル （Nicole Gavel） およびGO株式会社 代表取締役会長 兼 日本交通株式会社 取締役の川鍋 一朗 氏が登壇し、日本国内における自動運転技術の実証実験に関する現状や、Waymoの高い安全性について、データを通じた実績をもとに技術基盤を解説しました。

Waymoは現在、米国の10都市において、毎週50万回以上の完全自動運転による乗車サービスを提供しています。この実績ある基盤をもとに、東京の皆さまへのサービス提供開始に向けた取り組みを日本交通、GOとのパートナーシップのもとで着実に進めています。熟練した日本交通の乗務員が同乗する体制で自動運転の運用を開始して以来、「Waymo Driver」は東京特有の複雑な道路環境への適応を進めています。

これらの取り組みの基盤となっているのが、安全性が実証されている「Waymo Foundation Model」 です。本モデルはE2E（エンドツーエンド）のアプローチの利点を活用しつつ、継続的な安全検証を組み合わせることで、3 億キロメートルを超える自律運転走行を通じて開発・検証された、高い安全性を備えたAI を実現しています。これにより、「Waymo Driver」 が現実世界で走行する前に高度な安全検証が行われ、意思決定の妥当性を評価することが可能となります。また、仮想トレーニング環境と現実世界の双方で得た経験をもとに、継続的に学習・改善を重ねる能力も強化されています。

GO株式会社 代表取締役会長 兼 日本交通株式会社 取締役である川鍋 一朗氏は、次のように述べています。
「2023年に初めてWaymoを体験した時、私はそれがモビリティの未来であると確信しました。世界トップの自動運転テクノロジー企業が、初の国際展開の地として東京を選んでくれたことに深く感謝しています。Waymo、日本交通、GOのパートナーシップのもと、Waymo Driverを東京の環境に適応させるための走行データを提供すべく、昨年4月より日本交通の乗務員が広い道から狭い道まで様々な道路でWaymoの車両を運転しています。近い将来、無人の自動運転車が東京の街を走り始める日、そして私たち3社が日本初の自動運転タクシーを実現する日が来ることを心より楽しみにしています」

Waymo の事業開発および戦略的パートナーシップ責任者である ニコール・ガベルは、次のように述べています。
「日本交通の長年にわたる知見とWaymoの自動運転技術を組み合わせることで、東京におけるモビリティの新たな章の基盤を築いています。すでに車内に運転担当者を必要とせず、週50万件の完全自動運転による乗車を提供している実績ある当社の技術を、東京の道路特有の細かなニュアンスにも対応できるよう進化させています。また、パートナーと緊密に連携することで、地域の知見を反映したサービスを構築し、都市の特性に調和する形で導入を進めるとともに、安全性と卓越性への共通のコミットメントを維持しています」

Waymo の最高製品責任者である サシュワット・パニグラヒは、次のように述べています。
「確かな安全性は、東京の皆さまにサービスを提供するにあたり、Waymoのあらゆる取り組みの中核を成すものです。米国の 10都市における3億キロメートルに及び無人走行の実績と、92%の安全性能向上に裏打ちされた確かな基盤のもと、日本での取り組みを着実に前進させていることを誇りに思います。また、GOおよび日本交通の皆さまからのご支援に深く感謝するとともに、東京の皆さまにサービスを提供できる日を心待ちにしています」

Waymoについて
Waymoは、Alphabet傘下の自動運転技術企業として、「世界で最も信頼されるドライバーになること」を使命に掲げています。自動運転技術を通じて、人や物が安全かつ簡単に移動できるようにする世界の実現を目指しています。Waymoの自動運転システムは、厳格な安全基準のもとで開発されており、高度な技術によってすべての人に移動の自由を提供するとともに、持続可能で効率的な交通エコシステムの構築に貢献します。Waymoは、安全性の向上を通じて社会課題の解決に寄与し、より良い未来を次世代へ引き継ぐことを目指しています。

Hallo, Konnichiwa, Annyeonghaseyo, and Bonjour!

No matter how you say it, the Waymo Driver can now too. We’re thrilled to announce that the Waymo experience is now localized for Japanese, Korean, Polish, Italian, French, German, and British English.

Waymo is for everyone, and that means meeting you where you are. From the app to the in-car screen, your journey now automatically syncs with your phone’s language settings. No menus or translation apps required—just a seamless experience that builds on our existing support for Spanish, US English, and Chinese.

Whether you’re a local resident or an international traveler flying into one of the airports we serve, the journey is intuitive from start to finish. These efforts are foundational to our global vision: ensuring Waymo is ready for our diverse cities today and prepared for seamless expansion into new international markets soon.

We look forward to adding even more languages over time, and we are committed to refining this experience based on your feedback as we serve an increasingly global community.

Waymo has released new data indicating that the Waymo Driver continues to make roads safer in the places in which we operate.

A new analysis covers over 170 million fully autonomous miles—an equivalent of 200 human lifetimes of driving. The data shows that regardless of fault, the Waymo Driver was involved in 92% fewer crashes that cause serious or fatal injuries than human drivers in the same driving conditions. Our Driver was also involved in 83% fewer crashes where airbags are deployed, and 82% fewer crashes involving any injuries at all.

At our current scale, driving over 4 million miles weekly, our analysis suggests the Waymo Driver is preventing approximately one serious-injury crash every 8 days. Some medical professionals argue that this kind of safety record represents a public health breakthrough that could make significant contributions to reducing the likelihood of road traffic deaths and the impact of crashes.

View the full analysis and details of our methodology here. Beyond analyzing performance data, the Waymo Driver undergoes a rigorous safety review before it’s deployed on public roads. In particular, this paper outlines the formal acceptance criteria used to evaluate our Driver’s safety readiness.

It’s time for Waymo in the Windy City! Chicago is a city of culture, ambition, and an unyielding spirit of innovation, making it the perfect next stop for the World’s Most Experienced Driver™. We are excited to begin laying the early groundwork for our ride-hailing operations in Chicago, and look forward to serving the city in the future.

The Waymo Driver is a generalizable, AI-first technology designed to adapt to complex urban environments — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. Over 127 million fully autonomous miles, our technology has a proven safety record, demonstrating it is involved in up to 10x fewer serious injury or worse collisions and 12x fewer collisions with pedestrians compared to human drivers where we operate. This commitment to safety and reliability is what we plan to offer Chicago’s millions of residents and visitors, creating a new mobility option for the region.

We are coordinating closely with community leaders and policymakers and believe autonomous technology can strongly support Chicago’s goals for road safety and enhanced accessibility for all communities. We’re committed to being a partner in the city’s future, supporting economic growth and technological advancement.
“Chicago is leading the future of mobility by welcoming Waymo to begin initial mapping and manual testing in the city,” said Kam Buckner, Speaker Pro Tempore, Illinois House of Representatives. “This progress is a vital step toward safer streets and more accessible transportation for all our neighborhoods. By embracing autonomous innovation, we are ensuring Illinois remains the premier hub for 21st-century growth. I look forward to working with Waymo to safely introduce this technology to our communities”

“Roadway safety across all of Illinois is quite simply one of the most important issues today,” said Erin Doherty, Regional Executive Director, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Illinois. “Autonomous vehicles hold the exciting promise of preventing deaths and injuries caused by behavioral factors, including impaired driving, if deployed responsibly and safely and in collaboration with the right community and city stakeholders. We welcome Waymo into these new communities as another tool in the toolbox to end impaired driving.”

Ready to experience Waymo in Chicago? Sign up for updates and be among the first to ride when we’re ready: waymo.com/updates.

Charlotte blends its historic charm with North Carolina’s economic dynamism. Uptown – the city’s sports hub – is surrounded by vibrant neighborhoods, from South End with its breweries and restaurants to the arts of NoDa. The Queen City is constantly redefining itself, and it’s this same forward-looking culture that makes us thrilled to announce Waymo’s intention to bring our safe, magic, fully autonomous ride-hailing to Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Wherever North Carolinians are traveling, safe and reliable transportation is essential,” said North Carolina Governor Josh Stein. “We are eager to see how Waymo’s expansion into Charlotte can increase accessibility, modernize transportation, and create safer roads.”

“Charlotte is a world-class city that embraces innovation and the opportunity to move forward,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. “This announcement reflects our tireless dedication for expanded mobility, and we believe Charlotte is an excellent choice for Waymo’s next destination.”

Our generalizable Waymo Driver is informed by its experience over 200 million fully autonomous miles and more than 20 million rides served. While every city has its own character and traffic quirks, the Waymo Driver is able to safely handle a diverse and growing number of new environments. At the same time as it delivers a more reliable and trustworthy mobility option for communities across the U.S., the data from 127 million miles of fully autonomous driving shows the Waymo Driver was involved in 10x fewer serious injury or worse crashes and 12x fewer pedestrian injury crashes compared to human drivers where we operate.

“For people who are blind or have low vision, reliable transportation isn’t just a convenience — it’s access to employment, education, healthcare, and community life,” said Sandi Owens, President of the North Carolina Council of the Blind. “The arrival of Waymo’s autonomous vehicle testing in Charlotte represents an exciting step toward expanding safe, independent mobility options. Technology like this has the potential to reduce barriers, increase flexibility, and give people greater control over when and how they travel. We’re excited to partner with Waymo as this technology is introduced in our community.”

We’re excited for our service to complement Charlotte’s transportation system, and to learn more about how we can support the city’s goals. Ready to experience Waymo in Charlotte? Sign up for updates and be among the first to ride when we’re ready: waymo.com/updates.

Advice, not control: the role of Remote Assistance in Waymo’s operations

Our mission at Waymo is to be the world’s most trusted driver, and we are committed to earning the public’s trust through transparency and proven road safety outcomes. As we expand around the world, we are investing in an operations team that matches our global scale, including U.S.-based operations personnel and global operations teams, to ensure seamless, safe, 24/7 operations worldwide.

In 2024 we published a detailed outline describing how our Remote Assistance (RA) works. Though some have compared the function to aircraft dispatch, based on my decade as a U.S. Naval aviator flying F-14s and F/A-18s, I can firmly say that analogy is wrong. Aircraft dispatch is responsible for active flight monitoring, weather routing, and mechanical oversight for the duration of a journey.

Waymo’s service does not rely on remote drivers. RA does not continuously monitor a vehicle or set of vehicles. Instead, they respond to specific requests for information initiated by the Waymo Driver – our automated driving system (ADS) – and provide advice which the system can decide to use or reject. Our vehicle-to-RA connection is also as fast as the blink of an eye. Median one-way latency is approximately 150 milliseconds for U.S. based operations centers and 250 milliseconds for RA based abroad.

Waymo RA is composed of different functions, including our Event Response Team (ERT) which is exclusively based in the U.S. Waymo’s ERT is certified for more complex tasks like coordinating with emergency responders and managing post-collision protocols.

Despite differences in role and responsibilities, all RA agents must have and maintain driver’s licenses and are rigorously vetted, including a comprehensive review of their driving history, thorough criminal background checks, initial and ongoing drug testing, and color blindness and spatial recognition assessments. As of February 17, 2026, there are approximately 70 Remote Assistance agents on duty worldwide at any given time, including ERT. For context, Waymo currently has a fleet of 3,000 vehicles. Every week, our vehicles drive over four million miles and provide over 400,000 rides.

Waymo is committed to safety and transparency, and we’ll continue to work with lawmakers and regulators around the world as we scale our service globally. To learn more about how RA works at Waymo, you can view our letter to Congress here.