Nissan Motor, Uber Technologies, and British startup Wayve are set to collaborate on robotaxi development, targeting a pilot program launch in Tokyo by late 2026.
This partnership marks Uber's inaugural autonomous vehicle alliance in Japan. The plan involves equipping Nissan Leaf electric vehicles with Wayve's self-driving technology for availability on the Uber platform.
Wayve CEO Alex Kendall stated the company has been testing its technology in Japan since early 2025, emphasizing a responsible introduction of robotaxis through this collaboration.
Initially, the autonomous vehicles will operate on Uber's network, featuring a trained safety driver. Uber intends to roll out the service via a licensed taxi partner in Japan.
Wayve, supported by SoftBank and Nvidia, previously partnered with Uber in August 2024, with ambitions to launch services in over 10 global cities, including London this year.
Nissan began testing a driver-assistance system using Wayve's technology last September, with a planned Japanese launch in fiscal year 2027.