Waymo will bring its autonomous robotaxis to Toronto to begin operations in 2028

Vehicles will begin routes with specialized drivers to perform high-definition mapping of the city's streets. (Houston Public Media) Waymo, Alphabet's driverless car company, announced it will bring its robotaxi service to Toronto, the first Canadian city where it will operate. The company has set a goal of welcoming its first passengers in 2028. In the coming days, Waymo vehicles will begin to be seen driving through the city's streets, although they will not yet be in autonomous mode. The company will start with high-definition mapping of the streets and test routes driven by trained specialists. The government of the province of Ontario authorized the company to participate in the pilot program that regulates autonomous vehicle testing in the region, according to The Canadian Press news agency. That validation will include adapting the driving system to the particular traffic conditions of Toronto before adding real passengers. Waymo announced the arrival of its robotaxis in Toronto with the goal of transporting passengers in 2028. (Reuters) "The expansion into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo's global journey," said the company's co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana. She added that Toronto is "one of the great cities of the world" and that the company seeks to partner with its business, artistic, and cultural community. To operate in the city, Waymo partnered with Element Fleet Management, a Toronto-based company that will provide fleet maintenance services, customer service, and other operational functions. The company detailed that the alliance will involve the creation of hundreds of jobs before implementation, and even more afterward. "As a Canadian company, we are proud to expand our partnership with Waymo to help bring autonomous transportation to Toronto," said Element Fleet Management CEO Laura Dottori-Attanasio. The firm has prior ties with the Canada Pension Plan and a manufacturing alliance with Magna International. (REUTERS/Mike Blake) Waymo already had prior ties to the country: it maintains a long-term investment relationship with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and works with Magna International as a vehicle manufacturing partner. Waymo's white cars will not be the first autonomous vehicles on Toronto's streets. The California company Gatik has already been operating, since last year, a fleet of 50 autonomous trucks that deliver goods for the Loblaw supermarket chain under the same provincial pilot program. The company established agreements with accessibility organizations to include people with disabilities in the design of the service. (REUTERS/Mike Blake) Waymo cited its own data on its driving record: more than 400 million kilometers driven fully autonomously, with a 95% reduction in crashes involving serious injuries or worse compared to human drivers in the cities where it operates. The company also announced that it will collaborate with accessibility organizations such as BALANCE for Blind Adults, CNIB, Community Living Toronto, Connected Canadians, and Epilepsy Ontario. "Innovation that removes barriers to independence is at the heart of everything we do," said the CEO of BALANCE for Blind Adults, Michelle McQuigge. McQuigge added that the company's track record working with the blind and visually impaired community "is encouraging" and that its decision to involve them from the start "reflects the kind of approach that leads to real results." Waymo described Toronto as one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in North America and stated that its driving system, designed to operate in various weather conditions, can complement the city's existing network of bike lanes and public transportation. Manual mapping of the streets will begin this fall in the Northern Hemisphere, as a first step toward the 2028 goal.