Waymo与丰田达成初步协议，探索在自动驾驶技术开发和部署方面的合作。双方计划开发新的自动驾驶汽车平台，并着眼于打造下一代个人拥有的自动驾驶汽车。Waymo拥有自动驾驶技术，而丰田是全球最大的汽车制造商。未来，两家公司可能会开始向终端用户销售搭载Waymo自动驾驶技术的丰田汽车。目前，Waymo在旧金山湾区、洛杉矶、凤凰城和奥斯汀运营的robotaxi车队由捷豹I-Pace车辆组成，配备了大量的摄像头、超声波传感器和激光雷达传感器。此次合作，Waymo可能会将部分丰田汽车纳入其车队，并将部分自动驾驶技术提供给丰田汽车。

🤝Waymo与丰田达成初步协议，旨在加速自动驾驶技术的开发和部署，共同探索新的自动驾驶汽车平台。

🚗双方合作的重点是打造下一代个人拥有的自动驾驶汽车，这意味着未来消费者可能购买到搭载Waymo自动驾驶技术的丰田汽车。

🤖Waymo目前在多个城市运营robotaxi车队，主要使用捷豹I-Pace车辆，配备了先进的传感器技术，而丰田作为全球最大的汽车制造商，拥有强大的汽车制造能力。

⏱️尽管合作细节仍在讨论中，但双方需要加快步伐，因为特斯拉也计划在2026年开始生产全自动Cybercab车辆，并推出robotaxi服务。

Well, that was fast. Just two days after Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo is considering selling robotaxis to individuals one day, the company signed a deal with Toyota that could make this a reality.

In a joint press release, Waymo and Toyota said they've reached a "preliminary agreement" to "explore a collaboration focused on accelerating the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies."

The two companies plan to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform, and are looking to build the next-generation of personally owned vehicles. "The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions," the press release says.

While all that sounds very tentative, it boils down to this: Waymo has the self-driving tech, and Toyota has the cars. Sometime down the line, the two companies might start selling Toyota-built cars with Waymo's autonomous driving technology to end users.

Waymo's current fleet of robotaxis, operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, consists of Jaguar I-Pace vehicles fitted with a lot additional cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and LIDAR sensors. Waymo does not build or sell cars to individual users; Toyota, on the other hand, is the world's largest automaker, known for its reliable cars sold under the Toyota and Lexus brands.

It's unclear (and probably too early to tell) whether the two companies will launch a car under an entirely new brand, or if it will it be a smarter Toyota. For now, it appears that Waymo will incorporate some Toyotas into its fleet and lend some of its self-driving tech to Toyota cars.

"We look forward to exploring this strategic partnership, incorporating their vehicles into our ride-hailing fleet and bringing the magic of Waymo's autonomous driving technology to Toyota customers," said Waymo co-CEO Takedra Mawakana, in a statement.

The two companies better hurry up with their plans, because Tesla is planning to start selling robotaxis to customers soon. The company is currently testing an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin and the San Francisco Bay area, with plans to start producing the fully autonomous Cybercab vehicle in 2026.