Robotaxis coming to Toronto as Waymo aims for 2028 launch

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Toronto is paving the way to become the first Canadian city to welcome Waymo vehicles to the country.

The California-based company said on Friday that its autonomous vehicles will be in the city “in the coming days” as it lays the groundwork for a 2028 launch.

The announcement comes less than a year after a Waymo spokesperson told the Toronto Sun that the company had no immediate plans to unleash its fleet of driverless taxis on Toronto’s streets.

Ten months later, look where we are.

Initially, the company will have “trained autonomous specialists” conduct “high-definition mapping of local street networks,” which will allow Waymo Driver to test and adapt to Toronto’s incomparable driving conditions, from traffic patterns to road infrastructure and even the city’s ever-changing weather.

Its introduction in Canada comes as part of the first phase of operations under Ontario’s Automated Vehicle Pilot Program.

As part of the move, Waymo is partnering with Toronto-headquartered Element Fleet Management, which will oversee the local fleet operations.

Hundreds of jobs

Along with Element, Waymo said that over time, hundreds of roles will be created, including roles in fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service, and operations.

The company also plans to invest in local facilities and operational infrastructure ahead of its public launch in 2028.

While the robotaxis will be new to Canada, the company has existing ties with the country, anchored by CPP Investments, one of Waymo’s earliest financial backers, as well as its manufacturing partner, Magna International.

How safe is Waymo?

Waymo argues that autonomous transportation is involved in 95% fewer serious injury crashes compared with human drivers, according to company data, and that injury crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists were reduced by 93% and 86%, respectively.

However, safety and technical glitches remain a huge concern for passengers.

Last December, a man in San Francisco vowed to never go driverless again after his Waymo car swerved into traffic but managed to avoid a collision at the last moment.

In Atlanta this past May, dozens of empty Waymo cars crowded into an Atlanta subdivision, resulting in residents calling the traffic jam excessive and dangerous.

And a couple in San Francisco, also in May, thought they were “going to die” after their self-driving taxi plowed through a construction zone and ended up being chased by police.

“This is it,” the man recounted what he told his fiancée at the time to CBS News. “We’re dead. We’re going to die right here in the Waymo.”

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