Waymo to begin data collection in Tokyo with driver-operated test rides

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TOKYO (Reuters) – Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo said on Thursday it will start collecting data in Tokyo with test rides operated by human drivers next week, marking the first time the company will be using its cars on public roads outside the United States.

The California-based autonomous driving company will deploy 25 driver-operated electric Jaguar I-PACE to map key areas of the Japanese capital and gain insights into local infrastructure and driving patterns.

“It’s important for us to understand the difference in driving environment, what makes the driving here unique,” Nicole Gavel, Waymo’s head of business development and strategic partnerships, told reporters at an event in Tokyo.

The company is conducting the testing and servicing of the vehicles in cooperation with Japanese taxi firm Nihon Kotsu and Go, which operates a mobile app for hailing taxi rides and is partly owned by Nihon Kotsu.

After completing the initial mapping phase, Waymo aims to advance to autonomous driving tests with a driver behind the wheel as a next step, Gavel said, declining to say by when the company hopes to complete the initial phase.

“We’re just starting with the testing so that’s where we’re focused,” she said. “Longer term, obviously, we would love to have a business here in Tokyo.”

Waymo said its initial testing will be conducted in seven Tokyo wards, including Minato and Shibuya.

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Jamie Freed)