Waymo and Toyota are dating — if they get serious, a new autonomous vehicle could be created

Waymo and Toyota have agreed to explore a possible deal that could one day lead to a new vehicle designed for ride-hailing and even bring self-driving tech into consumer cars.

The two companies have signed a preliminary agreement to look into developing and deploying an autonomous vehicle platform, according to a blog posted by Waymo. The language used by the companies is vague — and essentially comes down to a hey-let’s-see-how-we-might-work-together arrangement. A spokesperson said more details will be shared if there is a definitive agreement.

The goal, if Waymo and Toyota officially partner, is two-fold. The companies would combine their respective strengths to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform that would be used for a robotaxi service. The companies would also look at bringing Waymo’s technology into the next generation of Toyota vehicles sold to consumers.

The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions, Waymo said in the blog post.

“Toyota is committed to realizing a society with zero traffic accidents and becoming a mobility company that delivers mobility for all,” Hiroki Nakajima, member of the board and executive vice president of Toyota, said in a statement, adding the automaker shares “a strong sense of purpose and a common vision with Waymo in advancing safety through automated driving technology.”

The timing of the announcement is notable. Last week, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai made remarks during the company’s earnings call that suggested Waymo was looking at personally owned autonomous vehicles. Waymo has talked vaguely about licensing its tech before. However, this was the first time that the top executive of its parent company spoke publicly about the possibility.

As Waymo has transitioned from a research and development program to a commercial operation, the company has sought to partnership with other businesses. Waymo has a robotaxi service in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and soon Atlanta. Historically, Waymo has handled all aspects of the robotaxi business, including the app, maintenance, and ride-hailing operations.

That changed in recent months. Waymo has hired Moove to manage its fleet of AVs in Phoenix. It has also turned to Uber to share the responsibility for robotaxi operations in Austin, and soon in Atlanta.

Under the so-called “Waymo on Uber” robotaxi service, Waymo is responsible for vehicle testing, roadside assistance, and certain aspects of rider support. Uber manages the fleet services such as vehicle cleaning, maintenance, inspections, charging, and depot operations through a company called Avomo.