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.

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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.

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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.