Waymo, Toyota strike partnership to bring self-driving tech to personal vehicles

Core Insights - Waymo and Toyota have announced a preliminary partnership to explore the integration of robotaxi technology into personally-owned vehicles, leveraging Waymo's autonomous technology and Toyota's vehicle expertise [1][2] - The partnership aims to accelerate the development of driver assistance and autonomous vehicle technologies for personal vehicles, with potential incorporation of Toyota vehicles into Waymo's ride-hailing fleet [2] - Waymo has previously collaborated with various automakers, including Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, Daimler, and Hyundai, primarily focusing on modified vehicles for testing and fleet use [3] Company Developments - Waymo is currently providing 250,000 paid rides per week, an increase from 200,000 in February, following expansions in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area [5] - Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai indicated that Waymo has not fully defined its long-term business model, suggesting future options for personal vehicle ownership equipped with Waymo's technology [4] - The partnership with Toyota is part of a broader trend in the industry, as other companies, including GM, shift focus from robotaxi services to developing autonomous systems for personal vehicles [6] Competitive Landscape - Tesla, while once a leader in self-driving technology, has not yet produced fully autonomous vehicles that can operate without human oversight [7] - Elon Musk has criticized Waymo's robotaxis as being too expensive for mass production, while promising that Tesla will offer fully autonomous rides using Model Y vehicles in the near future [7]