Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Waymo have reached a basic agreement on a strategic partnership for the development and popularization of autonomous driving. Woven by Toyota Corporation, which develops Toyota's software and new mobility technologies, has also joined the discussions on this collaboration, and the two companies will work together with the shared goal of delivering safety and freedom of movement to all.

Toyota and Waymo will combine their respective strengths to collaborate on the development of a new autonomous vehicle platform. By utilizing Waymo's technology and Toyota's car-making expertise, the two companies will work together to explore ways to improve the autonomous driving technology of Toyota's future commercially available vehicles. The scope and details of the collaboration will be discussed further.

Toyota has been working to realize a society with zero traffic accidents by working together on the trinity of people, cars, and the traffic environment. With regard to cars, we have been conducting research and development in the fields of automated driving and advanced safety with the aim of avoiding accidents. Based on the belief that "safety technology can only contribute to society by making it more widespread," we have developed Toyota's unique advanced safety package, "Toyota Safety Sense," and are delivering safe and secure cars to customers around the world. Through this collaboration, we will further advance the sophistication of driver assistance technology and the spread of automated driving technology.

Waymo, a global leader in autonomous driving technology, currently makes more than 250,000 trips per week in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin. With tens of millions of miles driven, data shows Waymo makes roads safer wherever it operates, including an 81% reduction in injury crashes compared to human drivers. Waymo is developing its self-driving system over time to be flexible for a variety of vehicle platforms and businesses. As Waymo continues to expand its commercially available ride-hailing service, Waymo One, it plans to introduce some of its technology for commercial vehicles through this strategic partnership.

Regarding the basic agreement, Toyota Executive Vice President and Member of the Board Yuki Nakajima said, "Toyota is aiming to realize a society with zero traffic accidents and to transform into a mobility company that brings freedom of mobility to everyone. Waymo, which aims to create a safer society through autonomous driving technology, shares exactly the same aspirations and vision, and I am confident that this collaboration will help spread Waymo and autonomous driving technology around the world, and bring us one step closer to a society with zero accidents. Together, our two companies will make steady progress toward the realization of a safe and secure mobility society."

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana also commented on the impact of this collaboration: "Waymo's mission is to be the world's most trusted driver. To achieve this mission, we need global partners like Toyota who share our commitment to making roads safer and expanding transportation accessibility for everyone. Through this strategic partnership, we look forward to introducing Toyota vehicles into our ride-hailing service and inspiring Toyota customers with Waymo's autonomous driving technology."

 

Source: global.toyota

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