Summary
Waymo says it will begin manually driven mapping and testing in Toronto as it prepares an autonomous ride-hailing service, with first riders targeted for 2028. Element Fleet Management will provide fleet services and support local hiring.
Waymo says it is preparing to bring its autonomous ride-hailing service to Toronto, with the goal of carrying its first riders in 2028. The company plans to start by driving vehicles manually on city streets, mapping local roads in high definition and testing with trained autonomous-driving specialists behind the wheel.
The announcement marks Waymo’s planned entry into Canada, but the initial Toronto activity is preparatory rather than a driverless passenger service. The company describes the work as a phased validation period intended to help its Waymo Driver adapt to local driving conditions.
Mapping and testing before passenger rides
High-definition road maps represent street networks and features in detail, giving autonomous-driving systems local information to use alongside other inputs. Waymo says mapping Toronto’s streets will be an early step, followed by testing with trained specialists in the vehicles. It has not announced a specific date for beginning passenger service; 2028 is its stated goal for welcoming the first riders.
Waymo also says it is investing in local facilities and jobs. It plans to work with Toronto-headquartered Element Fleet Management, which will provide end-to-end fleet-management services. Together with Element and other partners, Waymo expects to invest over time in hundreds of roles, including fleet maintenance, validation driving and customer service.
The company says the Toronto effort builds on existing Canadian ties, including a long-term investor relationship with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and a manufacturing partnership with Magna International. It also names local accessibility and mobility organisations—including BALANCE for Blind Adults, CNIB, Community Living Toronto, Connected Canadians and Epilepsy Ontario—as collaborators.
Waymo’s safety comparison
To describe its safety record, Waymo cites data from more than 400 million kilometres driven fully autonomously. The company says its vehicles were involved in 95% fewer crashes causing serious injury or worse—equivalent to 20 times fewer such crashes—than human-driven vehicles in the cities where Waymo operates.
That comparison is based on Waymo’s operating cities, not on driving in Toronto. The company presents the service as a potential addition to the city’s transport options, alongside public transit and cycling, and says its Driver is designed for all-weather operation. Toronto’s initial mapping and specialist-led testing will precede the planned introduction of rides.