Waymo car spotted in Toronto, sparking concerns
· Toronto Sun
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Waymo has finally hit Toronto.
The self-driving taxi service promised on Oct. 16 that it would soon begin testing its autonomous vehicles on city streets, and sure enough, a Waymo was seen puttering around downtown on Monday, though it had a human driver.
The appearance of the car has raised hackles among established taxi services here in Toronto. Kristine Hubbard, managing director at Beck Taxi, posted about the Waymo on X as a clip showed the car driving through a pedestrian crosswalk.
Love how the pedestrian walk sign was lit but you go ahead WHAT ARE WE DOING https://t.co/mp17KwdI43
— Kristine Hubbard (@KristineHubbard) November 2, 2026
Taxi companies don’t like it
“Love how the pedestrian walk sign was lit but you go ahead WHAT ARE WE DOING,” Hubbard posted.
Hubbard doesn’t like the idea of Waymo in Toronto, telling BlogTO it’s just another example of a big American company elbowing its way onto Canadian turf while “we attempt to protect Canadian sovereignty, we have yet another billion-dollar American company ready to take ownership of our roads.
“The false promises of fewer cars on the streets are the echo of all of the lies told by companies like Uber when they entered the market. We have more cars, higher emissions, and the largest poverty-paid workforce in history as a result of inaction from the provincial and municipal governments.”
Other reactions
Alex Glista of lobby group StrategyCorp, which has worked on Waymo’s behalf to enter the Canadian market, posted: “So excited to ride Waymos in Toronto. Even more excited to have drivers who are safer than humans on the roads!”
Waymo, owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, says it’s in the midst of mapping out the city using vehicles with drivers, and it plans a fully autonomous rollout for 2028. It already operates in 15 U.S. cities, with plans to expand into Germany, Spain, Japan and Singapore within the next two years.
The company says it has been approved to participate in Ontario’s automated vehicle pilot program. It’s also partnering with Toronto-based firm Element Fleet Management, which will oversee maintenance and customer service.
“Expanding into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo’s global journey,” Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said in a statement. “Toronto is one of the world’s great cities — innovative, diverse, and forward-looking. We’re proud to bring the Waymo Driver to Canada’s largest city and to partner with the vibrant business, arts and cultural communities that share our commitment to safer streets and more accessible mobility.”