Waymo Is Bringing Robotaxis to Canada in 2028 — Toronto’s Winter Weather Will Put Them to the Test
Waymo is preparing to bring its self-driving ride-hailing service to Toronto, with an initial passenger launch targeted for 2028.
The initial phase will involve high-definition mapping and a gradual validation process led by trained specialists, according to Waymo. The work will help the company adapt its autonomous driving system to Toronto’s road layouts and weather conditions before launching fully driverless rides.
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana described the expansion as a milestone in the company’s international growth, saying Canada represents an important next step in its global ambitions.
"Expanding into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo’s global journey," Mawakana said.
Toronto’s weather could present a key challenge for the rollout, with snow, ice and reduced visibility potentially testing the company’s self-driving technology through harsh Canadian winters.
Waymo has partnered with Element Fleet Management to oversee fleet operations in Toronto. The partnership could support local hiring over time in areas including vehicle maintenance, validation driving and customer support.
The expansion builds on Waymo’s existing Canadian relationships, including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, a long-term investor, and Magna International, a manufacturing partner.
Beyond fleet operations and testing, Waymo said it is working with regional accessibility and mobility organizations, including BALANCE for Blind Adults, CNIB, Community Living Toronto, Connected Canadians and Epilepsy Ontario.
Michelle McQuigge, CEO of BALANCE for Blind Adults, said autonomous transportation could help expand mobility options for people with disabilities.
"Innovation that removes barriers to independence is at the heart of everything we do," McQuigge said.
The Toronto expansion adds to Waymo’s efforts to scale its commercial service beyond its established U.S. markets, with the company also preparing for international operations in Japan and Singapore. Waymo has set a target of reaching 1 million paid rides per week by the end of this year.
Earlier this month, Waymo increased its inaugural private debt raise to $5 billion as Alphabet’s autonomous-driving unit ramps up robotaxi operations in more U.S. cities.
In February, Waymo raised $16 billion in a new funding round. Its valuation hovered at around $126 billion, underpinning growing investor confidence in commercial autonomous vehicle services.
The raise is one of the largest private investment rounds ever for an autonomous vehicle business, more than tripling Waymo’s valuation from roughly $45 billion in 2024.
Waymo, which began as a Google project in 2009 and became an independent Alphabet company in 2016, remains one of the most established U.S. providers of fully driverless paid robotaxi services and is widely regarded as a leader in autonomous driving technology.
Amazon-backed (NASDAQ:AMZN) Zoox has now joined the commercial robotaxi market, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) maintains a presence in Texas, Florida and the San Francisco Bay Area, where it operates with a required safety driver.
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