Summary
Waymo says it will begin mapping and testing in Toronto as it prepares a fully autonomous ride-hailing service. The company aims to welcome its first riders in 2028.
Waymo says it is preparing to bring its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to Toronto, with the goal of welcoming its first riders in 2028. In an announcement dated October 16, 2026, the company said its vehicles would begin appearing on city streets in the coming days, initially driven manually as it starts local mapping and testing.
That work is an early preparation phase, not the start of public autonomous rides. Waymo says it will map Toronto’s street network in high definition and test with trained autonomous specialists behind the wheel. The company describes this validation as a way to adapt its Waymo Driver to local driving conditions.
Mapping and supervised testing come first
Waymo characterises its Toronto expansion as a phased, safety-first rollout. The announcement does not give a detailed timetable for the mapping and testing stages, but sets 2028 as the target for the first riders.
The company is investing in local facilities and says it expects to support hundreds of roles over time. The planned work includes fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service and other operational functions. Toronto-headquartered Element Fleet Management will provide fleet-management services. Waymo also points to its existing Canadian ties, including its long-term investor relationship with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and manufacturing partner Magna International.
Waymo presents the service as an additional option alongside Toronto’s existing transport network, including public transit and cycling infrastructure. It describes the Waymo Driver as designed to operate in all weather conditions.
Waymo’s safety claim and accessibility partnerships
To describe the system’s safety record, Waymo cites data from more than 400 million kilometres driven in fully autonomous mode. The company says its vehicles were involved in 95% fewer crashes involving serious injury or worse than human drivers in the cities where Waymo operates, which it describes as 20 times fewer. That comparison concerns Waymo’s operating cities; it is not a result from Toronto.
The company also says it is working with accessibility and mobility organisations, including BALANCE for Blind Adults, CNIB, Community Living Toronto, Connected Canadians and Epilepsy Ontario. Waymo says these collaborations are part of its approach to accessibility as it prepares the service.
The next milestone in Toronto is therefore local validation with people behind the wheel. The 2028 date remains the company’s stated goal for welcoming its first riders.