Waymo Plans to Bring Self-driving Cars to Toronto by 2028

Waymo, a company that runs self-driving cars, plans to bring its ride service to Toronto by 2028.

The company announced the news on Friday, October 16, at around 7 a.m. ET, as it prepares to expand into Canada.

Waymo is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Its cars can drive without a human driver controlling them.

The company already offers rides in several U.S. cities. Toronto would be its first planned location in Canada.

Testing will come first

Waymo will need to test its technology on Toronto roads before it can begin offering rides to the public.

The company says trained drivers will be behind the wheel during the early testing stage. The goal is to help its cars learn the city’s roads and traffic conditions.

Waymo is aiming to begin offering rides in 2028, but the service is not available to the public yet.

Toronto company involved in the plan

Waymo is working with Element Fleet Management, a Toronto-based company that manages vehicles for businesses.

Element announced the partnership early Friday morning. The deal will help Waymo prepare its vehicles and operations for the planned launch.

More details still to come

Waymo has not yet shared all the details about its Toronto service.

It is not clear which parts of the city will get the service first, how much rides will cost or exactly when customers will be able to book their first trip.

For now, the company’s next step is to map local streets and prepare for testing.

If the plan moves ahead, Toronto residents could have another option for getting around the city by 2028.

Sources: Waymo, Element Fleet Management, CityNews Toronto