Uber said on Wednesday that it plans to introduce autonomous taxi services in Japan by late 2026 as part of a new collaboration with Wayve and Nissan. Under the agreement, Wayve will serve as the artificial intelligence partner, while Nissan will oversee vehicle manufacturing.

The companies aim to begin pilot operations in Tokyo by the end of 2026 using Nissan LEAF electric vehicles equipped with Wayve’s autonomous driving technology.

The vehicles will operate on the Uber platform and will include a safety operator onboard. Uber stated that the service will be launched through licensed taxi partners in Japan and in coordination with local authorities.

The agreement forms part of Uber and Wayve’s broader global initiative to deploy autonomous taxi services in ten major cities worldwide. Uber has also signed partnerships with several other autonomous vehicle companies, including Waymo, WeRide, and Apollo Go.

Autonomous taxis have drawn increasing attention over the past year, particularly as electric vehicle giant Tesla has promoted the technology as a major future growth driver. However, ongoing regulatory concerns over safety have limited large-scale global deployment to date.

This marks Uber’s first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan and represents another milestone in Uber and Wayve’s global autonomous taxi expansion strategy, which spans more than a dozen cities worldwide.

Under the plan, Wayve’s end-to-end AI autonomous driving system will be integrated into Nissan’s production vehicles. These vehicles, powered by the Wayve AI Driver, will connect to Uber’s ride-hailing platform, enabling autonomous taxis to be matched with passengers through the app.

Wayve, Uber, and Nissan aim to deploy a highly advanced, safe, and reliable autonomous taxi service in Tokyo—one of the world’s most challenging urban markets due to dense traffic patterns, complex road networks, and stringent safety standards.

Wayve’s AI Driver is designed to learn from real-world data and adapt to new roads and cities without relying on high-definition maps. This capability enables rapid global scalability and supports deployment in dynamic urban environments such as Tokyo.

Market Analysis:

Autonomous mobility is becoming an increasingly important component of Uber’s platform. Japan represents a key market, where innovation can help address driver shortages and support the future of urban transportation. By offering seamless access through the Uber app, the company aims to provide passengers with more mobility options.