Waymo previously teamed with Jaguar to deploy its automotive vehicle technologies, but the Alphabet-backed company has a new, much larger partner. Toyota recently announced a partnership with Waymo to develop next-generation autonomous vehicles, and the Japanese automaker may incorporate some of the technologies into personal vehicles.
Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli said, “Together, we aim to combine our respective strengths to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform and explore how to leverage Waymo’s autonomous technology to enhance the next generation of Toyota’s personally owned vehicles. Our two companies share a vision of improving road safety and delivering increased mobility for all.”
Toyota has built a few autonomous prototypes and concept cars over the years, but this partnership is its most prominent move into the space to date. Neither company shared details on how the effort could impact consumer vehicles, but Bonelli noted that the partnership is still in its early days, and the agreement is only for a “potential collaboration” on personal vehicles. The most likely outcome is Toyota using Waymo tech to assist or improve driver-assistance features, including adaptive cruise control.
Waymo has also partnered with Hyundai and China’s Zeekr, and said it would deploy autonomous Ioniq 5s across its fleets. The Zeekr model is more like a shuttle or bus shape with seating for several passengers.
[Images: Waymo]
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