Waymo Says Self-Driving Robotaxis Are Coming To Toronto In 2028

Waymo isn't dropping fully driverless cars onto Yonge Street amid the cyclists and food delivery dudes doing whatever they want on e-scooters from day one.

Human drivers will handle the driving during initial rollout, building high-definition 3D maps and validating software through Toronto's dense urban core. To manage day-to-day operations, Waymo is partnering with Element Fleet Management for end-to-end oversight.

Waymo says the expansion is "an important milestone in Waymo's global journey". The company has existing ties with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and manufacturing partner Magna International, which is responsible for upfitting Waymo's autonomous hardware onto platforms like the Jaguar I-PACE, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Zeekr vehicles.

The ride-hailing giant also stressed that the move will create "hundreds of roles" across fleet maintenance, validation driving, and operations. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said earlier this year that the city does not support autonomous ride-hailing if it came at the expense of local jobs — by local jobs she means someone's cousin/uncle picking you up from the bar in a freshly leased Honda CR-V.

Waymo’s 2028 launch will need to overcome regulatory hurdles at Queen's Park. Ontario currently permits autonomous vehicle testing under a temporary pilot framework (O. Reg. 306/15). However, that pilot regulation is set to expire on October 13, 2027—months before Waymo plans to pick up its first paying customer. Transport Canada also limits driverless vehicles on public roads to provincial testing pilots, meaning Ontario lawmakers must write an entirely new commercial ride-hailing framework from scratch before 2028.

Toronto’s sloppy winter weather will serve as a challenging sandbox for Waymo’s hardware. Salt brine spray, slush, and freezing rain will absolutely blind camera lenses and optical sensors — plus how will it handle the clapped-out BMWs making left turns from the right lane?

Waymo says its expansion into Denver already proves that its "all-weather" sensor suites can handle severe winter precipitation, but Toronto has significantly worse traffic volume and congestion than Denver. Toronto is one of the most congested cities in North America; it's like LA, just with slush and snow for an entire quarter.

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