Short version: Waymo is mapping Toronto now and wants paying riders in 2028. That's a real plan from the biggest robotaxi company outside China. It's also two winters away, the service area isn't announced, and it starts in the city, not in Vaughan. If you need a car in the next two years, robotaxis don't change that decision.
Waymo announced on October 16 that it will start testing in Toronto, with a goal of carrying its first passengers in 2028. Ontario approved it for the provincial pilot program that regulates self-driving testing. Phase one is high-definition mapping and data collection, then test runs with a driver behind the wheel. Toronto-based Element Fleet Management will handle maintenance and customer service. CP24 / The Canadian Press
What's actually happening first
The cars you'll see on Toronto streets soon have a person driving. They're building maps. Driverless testing comes later, and paid rides after that.
Snow is the open question. A Queen's University robotics professor told The Canadian Press snow can cover the sensors, and ice can affect braking on hills. Most of Waymo's U.S. cities barely see snow.
Why a Vaughan family should care, a little
I get asked about this already. Usually it's a couple deciding whether to keep a second car or go down to one. My answer is the same as before the announcement: plan on what exists.
A robotaxi in downtown Toronto in 2028 doesn't drive your kid to hockey in Maple on a February morning. Maybe it will one day. A car you buy this year will be paid off or traded before that day is likely to come.
Where it might matter sooner is a downtown commuter who drives in twice a week. If that's you, a smaller, cheaper second car makes more sense than a big one.
My predictions
My prediction: By January 31, 2027, Waymo will not have run a test in Toronto with nobody in the driver's seat, because its own plan starts with mapping and supervised runs, and that first phase runs through a winter. I'm wrong if Waymo or the province confirms a driverless Toronto test before then.
My prediction: By October 31, 2027, Ontario will publish rules or a regulation that allow a paid ride service with no safety driver, because Waymo can't hit its 2028 launch without them and the province has already backed the rollout. I'm wrong if no such rule exists by that date.
If you're buying right now: buy for the next five years, not for 2028. If you're a family weighing one car or two, my guide to the best Honda for a family in Ontario walks through which one covers the most ground on its own. Shopping from the city? Here's how I work with Toronto Honda buyers.
Quick answers
When will Waymo robotaxis start in Toronto?
Waymo says it aims to carry its first passengers in Toronto in 2028. The first phase, starting in 2026, is high-definition street mapping and data collection, followed by test runs with a driver behind the wheel.
Is Waymo allowed to test self-driving cars in Ontario?
Yes. The Ontario government approved Waymo to take part in the provincial pilot program that regulates autonomous vehicle testing. The province says the rollout will be phased and tied to safety and a jobs plan.
Should I skip buying a second car because of robotaxis?
Not on today's timeline. Paid Waymo rides in Toronto are planned for 2028 at the earliest, the service area hasn't been announced, and nobody knows yet how it handles a GTA winter. A car you buy now will be paid off or traded long before robotaxis can replace a commute or a school run across the 905.
One car or two?
Tell me how your family drives in a normal week. I'll tell you honestly whether one Honda can cover it.
Henry Chen · Sales Consultant, Maple Honda
89 Auto Vaughan Dr, Maple, ON L6A 4A1
647-523-6878 · henry@maplehonda.com