UPDATE, OCTOBER 16: This article now includes Waymo's phased testing announcement and its statement, reported by The Canadian Press, that Ontario has approved participation in the provincial pilot. The original publication date and article address are unchanged.

TORONTO — Waymo says vehicles will begin appearing on Toronto streets in the coming days for manually driven mapping and testing, ahead of a proposed autonomous passenger service in 2028.

In its October 16 announcement, the company says trained autonomous specialists will remain behind the wheel during the initial validation work. The aim is to adapt its driving system to Toronto's conditions.

The Canadian Press reports that Waymo says Ontario has approved its participation in the province's autonomous-vehicle testing pilot. That reported testing permission should not be confused with a robotaxi service already accepting riders.

Different stages, different claims

Waymo's 2028 passenger target remains a future goal. Its initial human-driven mapping work, later validation and eventual passenger operations are not interchangeable milestones.

Toronto-based Element Fleet Management will support fleet operations, including maintenance and customer service, according to the company.

Ontario controls deployment conditions

Toronto's existing authority review identifies Ontario's Ministry of Transportation as the body that licenses automated-vehicle operations and determines where, and under what conditions, operators may deploy.

The city committee received that report for information in June. That municipal action was not itself an approval of Waymo passenger service. The new reporting concerns the company's account of provincial pilot participation, not a change to the city's earlier decision.

Sources: Waymo's original announcement; The Canadian Press via CHCH, October 16 at 9:13 a.m. Toronto time; Toronto City Clerk record.

Lead image: a Waymo Jaguar I-Pace on Westwood Boulevard in Los Angeles, August 23, 2024, by Alexis Doine, Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Resized file photograph; not a Toronto vehicle deployment.