Waymo to launch robotaxis in Toronto under pilot program for self-driving vehicles

Self-driving taxi operator Waymo says it will launch a test phase in Toronto in the coming days, with the goal of carrying its first passengers in 2028.

The California-based company says the Ontario government has given it the green light to take part in a provincial pilot program that regulates testing of autonomous cars.

Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet Inc., says the first phase includes high-definition street mapping and test runs of the robotaxis with a driver behind the wheel, starting this fall.

Skeptics of the technology say autonomous vehicles struggle to handle more complicated environments, including heavy traffic and bad weather, but Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana says the company is committed to safer streets and more accessible mobility.

For its launch in Canada, Waymo is partnering with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management, which will provide maintenance, customer service and other support functions.

Waymo’s distinctive white crossover SUVs will not be the first vehicles to traverse Toronto streets under the provincial pilot program, after California-based Gatik began a rollout of 50 autonomous box trucks for Loblaw in the city last year.