Waymo gets approval to begin robotaxi testing in Toronto

Alphabet’s self-driving unit, Waymo, is expanding into Canada after receiving approval to take part in Ontario’s automated-vehicle pilot program. The company isn’t launching a robotaxi service just yet — Waymo follows the same playbook in every new city, moving gradually from manual mapping to testing and, eventually, a commercial service. In a blog post on Friday, Waymo said its vehicles will first be driven manually through Toronto to build high-definition maps of the local street network. The company will then test its autonomous vehicles on public roads with a human safety operator on board. Those operators will eventually be pulled from the driver’s seat, and only after that will Waymo invite the public to take rides in its robotaxis.

The move into Canada is part of an aggressive push into new markets that is picking up speed. Two years ago, Waymo was operating in only three commercial markets, and its robotaxis were not yet driving on freeways. Its expansion kicked off in March 2025 with a deployment in Austin, followed by one in Atlanta. Today, the company runs robotaxi services in 15 U.S. cities and is testing its vehicles in London and Tokyo as well.

Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the expansion into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo’s global journey. Toronto is also the northernmost — and possibly the most wintry — city where Waymo has tried to operate, so the conditions there will test both its self-driving technology and its operational playbook for rolling out new markets.

As part of its accelerated expansion strategy, Waymo has started partnering with third-party companies to manage its fleet in each city it enters. Toronto is no different: Waymo has partnered with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management, and expects the move to support hundreds of jobs in areas such as fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service, and operations.

Why it matters

Waymo’s robotaxi footprint has grown from three markets to 15 U.S. cities plus tests abroad in two years, and Toronto’s winter conditions — among the most severe Waymo has yet attempted — will test whether that expansion playbook holds up outside milder climates. A smooth rollout there would strengthen the case for exporting the same city-by-city model to other cold-weather and international markets next.