Testing has begun for Nuro's autonomous vehicles in the bustling streets of Tokyo, a city known for its challenging driving conditions. The self-driving startup, which receives backing from major companies including NVIDIA, Toyota, and Uber, will be operating a small fleet of vehicles under the supervision of human safety drivers, as mandated by Japanese regulations.
Nuro aims to develop a universal autonomy platform that may extend beyond autonomous rides, differing from the strategy employed by Waymo. The company's focus is on achieving Level 4 autonomy, which facilitates full self-driving capabilities in specific environments. CEO Andrew Chapin emphasized that Tokyo's unique driving landscape serves as a rigorous test for their technology.
In addition to Nuro, Waymo is also active in Tokyo, collaborating with local taxi operators, including Nihon Kotsu. The company has been operational in Japan since April 2025, working closely with Toyota.
Looking ahead, Uber plans to introduce a fleet of up to 100,000 autonomous vehicles by 2027, which will include 20,000 robotaxis developed in partnership with Nuro. The rollout of this initiative is set to begin in 2027, with pilot programs expected to start in Tokyo by late 2026.