{
  "id": 7488185,
  "title": "Japan's 1st driverless taxi service eyed in Tokyo in 2027",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/japans-1st-driverless-taxi-service-eyed-in-tokyo-in-2027",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T06:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260915/p2g/00m/0bu/025000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japan's first fully driverless taxi service is expected to launch in the capital city of Tokyo in 2027, according to a joint announcement by three major players - ride-hailing app operator Go Inc., Waymo LLC, and Nihon Kotsu Co. The ambitious project aims to gradually introduce around 100 autonomous taxis into the urban environment.\n\nAlthough buses and other vehicles with automated driving capabilities are already operational in Japan, typically on fixed routes, a fully driverless taxi hailed through a smartphone application would represent a significant leap toward broader adoption of the technology. Go Inc. will contribute its expertise in taxi-hailing apps, while Waymo's self-driving technology will power the vehicles. Meanwhile, Nihon Kotsu, a prominent domestic taxi company, will handle operations management and related tasks.\n\nThe three companies have been collaborating on self-driving technology since 2024. Since the following year, they have conducted trial runs on public roads in seven Tokyo wards, refining Waymo's technology to suit the city's unique road conditions. This progress has been made possible by Nissan Motor Co.'s partnership with Uber Technologies Inc. in a separate robotaxi project, with trial operations in Tokyo slated for the latter half of this year.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Ride-hailing app operator Go Inc., Waymo LLC, the self-driving vehicle unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc., and Nihon Kotsu Co. said",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Waymo plans Tokyo robotaxi service in 2027 with GO, Nihon Kotsu",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-plans-tokyo-robotaxi-service-in-2027-with-go-nihon-kotsu",
        "published": "2026-09-15T01:19:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "Waymo, Japanese partners target driverless taxi service in Tokyo in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-japanese-partners-target-driverless-taxi-service-in-tokyo-in",
        "published": "2026-09-15T02:11:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Waymo, Japanese partners target driverless taxi service in Tokyo in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-japanese-partners-target-driverless-taxi-service-in-tokyo-in-7456565",
        "published": "2026-09-15T02:33:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Economic Times Tech",
        "title": "Waymo, Japanese partners target driverless taxi service in Tokyo in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-japanese-partners-target-driverless-taxi-service-in-tokyo-in-7453891",
        "published": "2026-09-15T02:39:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
        "title": "Waymo, Japanese Partners Target Driverless Taxi Service in Tokyo in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-japanese-partners-target-driverless-taxi-service-in-tokyo-in-7451442",
        "published": "2026-09-15T02:41:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "Waymo, Go plan autonomous taxi service in Tokyo for 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/waymo-go-plan-autonomous-taxi-service-in-tokyo-for-2027",
        "published": "2026-09-15T06:58:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bangkok Post Business",
        "title": "Japan's 1st driverless taxi service eyed in Tokyo in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/japans-1st-driverless-taxi-service-eyed-in-tokyo-in-2027-7523115",
        "published": "2026-09-15T09:25:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}