Speaking of driverless cars, most people mention Tesla, Ford BlueCruise, or GM Super Cruise. Toyota is also participating in this race, offering a system on the Lexus LS. Although it functions, the company has not yet revealed its full potential.
Despite modest achievements, Toyota has decided to update its efforts in this area by signing a preliminary agreement with Waymo. The goal is the joint development and implementation of autonomous control technologies.
The parties are not disclosing details but plan to combine their forces to create a new platform. They will also explore opportunities to combine Waymo’s developments with Toyota vehicles to improve future models.
This is an interesting step because Waymo is focused on robotaxis, and now its technologies may appear in conventional cars. Even a simplified version of the system would be a significant breakthrough.
The companies hinted at such a possibility, stating that the collaboration is aimed at developing driver assistance systems with a focus on safety.
Toyota Vice President Hiroki Nakajima emphasized the shared goal with Waymo of improving safety through autonomous technologies. His words were supported by Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, who noted that their mission is to become the world’s most reliable driver thanks to partners like Toyota.
Mawakana also announced that Toyota vehicles will be used in the Waymo fleet for transportation services. She expressed enthusiasm about implementing their technologies in Toyota vehicles.