U.S.-based Waymo is teaming up with Japan-based Toyota as part of a "strategic partnership" to advance self-driving vehicle technologies.
In a blog post this week, the autonomous driving technology company Waymo announced it had reached a preliminary agreement with the automaker to collaborate on developing and deploying a new series of self-driving vehicles.
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"Toyota and Waymo aim to combine their respective strengths to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform," the blog post states. "In parallel, the companies will explore how to leverage Waymo's autonomous technology and Toyota's vehicle expertise to enhance next-generation personally owned vehicles (POVs). The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions."
Waymo emerged onto the autonomous vehicle scene in 2018 when it launched its self-driving taxi service, which is now available in several U.S. cities, with plans to expand to more markets in the coming years.
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Toyota, meanwhile, has not yet developed its own autonomous vehicle, but Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima said this partnership with Waymo is about "taking an important step toward a future with greater safety and peace of mind for all."
"Toyota is committed to realizing a society with zero traffic accidents and becoming a mobility company that delivers mobility for all," Nakajima said in a statement. "We share a strong sense of purpose and a common vision with Waymo in advancing safety through automated driving technology, and we are confident this collaboration can help bring our solutions to more people around the world, moving us one step closer to a zero-accident society."
