Waymo is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing operations to Toronto, Canada. The company plans to launch the service for riders in 2028. In the coming days, Waymo will begin manual driving in the city to map street networks and test its autonomous system under local conditions.
The company is partnering with Element Fleet Management, a Toronto-based firm, to handle fleet management services. This collaboration aims to support the deployment of autonomous vehicles at scale. Waymo also intends to create hundreds of local jobs in areas such as fleet maintenance, customer service, and validation driving.
Waymo already maintains existing ties in Canada through its investor, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and its manufacturing partner, Magna International. The company is also collaborating with several local accessibility and mobility advocacy organizations, including BALANCE for Blind Adults and the CNIB.
The company reports that its autonomous technology has covered over 400 million kilometers. According to Waymo, its vehicles have been involved in 95% fewer accidents resulting in serious injury compared to human drivers in its current operating regions.
