What to know
- Waymo is preparing to bring its driverless ride-hailing service to Toronto by 2028, with vehicles expected to begin mapping local streets in the coming days.
- Testing will cover neighbourhoods across Toronto, with trained crew members initially driving the electric Jaguar SUVs manually.
- Mayor Olivia Chow raised safety concerns, while mayoral candidate Brad Bradford welcomed the technology. Residents had mixed reactions, with some nervous and others excited.
- Waymo vehicles use cameras, lidar, and radar to navigate roads. The company says it has recorded fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers in U.S. cities, but it is still adapting its technology to winter conditions.
Toronto drivers could soon be sharing the road with driverless taxis, as Waymo prepares to bring its ride-hailing service to Canada’s largest city.
The company announced Friday that it was greenlit to begin laying the groundwork for a launch in Toronto by 2028. The move would mark the autonomous vehicle company’s inaugural entry into the Canadian market.
In the coming days, Waymo said residents can expect to see their vehicles on Toronto streets as the company begins to map local roads and test its technology on Canadian soil.
Torontonians hoping to catch the self-driving ride will have to wait.
According to Waymo’s official website, the initial phase will begin with vehicles being driven manually by trained crew members to document Toronto’s streets and help the technology adapt to local driving rules and conditions.
Political reaction
Waymo says it has received approval to participate in Ontario’s Automated Vehicle Pilot Program, which allows it to begin manual driving and testing.
Despite this, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow raised questions following the company’s announcement.
Chow said she was concerned about the safety of Toronto residents, highlighting that Waymo and any other autonomous vehicles must be held to the highest possible safety standards.
She also confirmed that the program that has greenlit the autonomous vehicles is province-run, clarifying that the decision does not involve the city.
Mayoral candidate Brad Bradford shared at a press conference on Friday that he wasn’t opposed to the new additions on the road, adding that Toronto needs to embrace innovation.
“I’m never [going to] shut the door on an interesting or novel idea just because we haven’t done it before,” he said. “In fact, status quo is what’s holding Toronto back right now.”
Where will Waymo be driving in Toronto?
The company says its testing is expected to cover neighbourhoods across the city, including but not limited to St. Lawrence Market, Harbourfront, Roncesvalles Village, Parkdale, Liberty Village, Don Mills, Yorkdale, Leaside, East York, Summerhill, Yonge & Eglinton, Weston, Mimico, and Etobicoke.
Waymo added that its testing could take place at any hour of the day, as it works to make sure its vehicles can handle Toronto’s different road and traffic conditions.
The company stated that it will initially use a limited number of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs, with plans to expand its fleet over time.
Once the service launches commercially, projected for around 2028, customers will be able to book rides through the Waymo app.
How will Waymo’s self-driving technology work?
Waymo vehicles use a combination of cameras, lidar, and radar technology that helps to detect their surroundings and navigate roads.
The company said its technology can identify other road users, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as predict their movements.
Waymo states that its service improves road safety and ride-share accessibility. It added that its self-driving vehicles are unable to become distracted or tired while behind the wheel.
According to Waymo, its vehicles have recorded fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers covering the same distance in U.S. cities it operates in. It’s important to note this data does not pertain to Toronto habits.
Waymo also claims its vehicles drive in all-weather conditions. The company confirmed the vehicles have experience operating in snowy U.S. cities, like Denver and Detroit.
Furthermore, Waymo is developing technology to adjust its existing vehicles to handle snow and ice. The company says it will adjust operations when weather conditions make driving unsafe.
To ensure safety on Toronto streets, Waymo states its work was far from over.
“We will continue to work with regulators to ensure we have the proper permits in hand through every phase of our operations,” the company said.
Torontonian reactions
When told about driverless vehicles on Toronto streets, many residents first told Now Toronto the idea made them nervous.
One Torontonian named Jasmin said she would need to see more safety measures put in place before deciding to get into a Waymo vehicle.
“If people feel more comfortable with the technology, I think they’ll use it over a physical driver, a person. Me personally, I would have to see more testing because I’d be nervous that the car just has a mind of its own and goes out of control,” she explained.
One self-proclaimed “old school” Toronto resident named Steven said the unfamiliar technology makes him uncomfortable.
“All this technology is a bit over my head,” he explained. “I think they need to look into it before they approve these kinds of things.”
However, Toronto resident John said he found the new technology to be “cool.”
“They’ve been in California, right? So I think that should be cool coming up here,” he said.
He added that those who aren’t too social may be more comfortable in a driverless vehicle.
“You can just get a [ride] without having to talk to anyone, which could be nice,” John added.
Ride-share use of the Waymo network is targeted to begin in 2028.
