Waymo plans Toronto robotaxi service for 2028

Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, said Friday it plans to launch a robotaxi service in Toronto, with a goal of carrying its first passengers in 2028.

The California-based company said a test phase will begin in the coming days, according to reporting by The Canadian Press via CP24. The Ontario government has approved Waymo’s participation in a provincial pilot program that regulates autonomous vehicle testing.

The first phase includes high-definition street mapping and test runs with a human driver behind the wheel, starting this fall. Waymo uses white crossover SUVs in its service. Toronto-based Element Fleet Management will handle maintenance, customer service and other support, the report said.

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the company is committed to safer streets and more accessible mobility, CP24 reported.

Passenger service is still about two years away, and the regulatory path is not settled. The Deep Dive, a Canadian technology site, reported that Ontario Regulation 306/15, which governs the province’s automated vehicle pilot, is scheduled to expire on Oct. 13, 2027. The regulation allows automated vehicles on public roads for approved testing and is not a blanket authorization for commercial driverless taxi services, the outlet said. No replacement approval exists yet, and the province could extend the program or create a new framework.

The City of Toronto has limited say. The Deep Dive reported that city officials are reviewing how vehicle-for-hire rules would apply to driverless services, including inspections, insurance, fares and reporting, but that the city cannot veto a deployment approved by the province. It can advise Queen’s Park, coordinate work-zone procedures and regulate where vehicles are serviced and stored. Rules on who is responsible for moving violations could require provincial legislation, because enforcement often assumes a human driver.

Critics have said autonomous vehicles struggle in complex conditions such as heavy traffic and bad weather, CP24 reported. Toronto offers both, along with streetcar tracks and dense downtown traffic.

Waymo is not the first company to test driverless technology in the city under the provincial pilot. Gatik, also based in California, began rolling out 50 autonomous box trucks for Loblaw in Toronto in 2025, CP24 reported. Loblaw first launched driverless trucks for PC Express food delivery in 2022, and Canadian companies are also pushing ahead, with Waabi saying its self-driving trucks are ready for a Texas debut in 2027.

The Deep Dive reported that a Toronto municipal staff report on May 28 concluded the provincial Ministry of Transportation controls automated vehicle approvals and operating conditions. In June, Element disclosed a broader multi-year relationship with Waymo that started in San Diego, with Toronto as a new expansion market.

Waymo has not said how many vehicles it will deploy in Toronto, what fares it will charge or which neighbourhoods it will serve first. The Canadian Press report did not include reaction from the mayor or the Ontario government.

Via CP24 and The Deep Dive. Read the original CP24 report.

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