Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google parent Alphabet, plans to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Toronto in 2028, CBC News and NOW Toronto reported. NOW Toronto called it the company's first entry into the Canadian market, and CBC reported that Waymo is officially coming to Canada.

Torontonians may see Waymo cars "in the coming days" as the company starts mapping local streets and testing with trained specialists behind the wheel, CBC reported. Trained crew members will first drive a limited number of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs manually, NOW Toronto reported. Waymo said it was approved to take part in Ontario's Automated Vehicle Pilot Program, CBC and NOW Toronto reported.

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the company shares a commitment "to safer streets and more accessible mobility," CBC reported. Waymo carries riders in 15 U.S. cities, CBC reported.

Mayor Olivia Chow said the safety of Torontonians is her biggest concern and that autonomous vehicles must meet the highest standards, CBC and NOW Toronto reported. She said the program is run by the province and does not involve the city, CBC and NOW Toronto reported. Mayoral candidate Brad Bradford welcomed the plan. "I'm never [going to] shut the door on an interesting or novel idea just because we haven't done it before," he said, NOW Toronto reported.

"We believe the future of mobility will be hybrid, with human drivers and autonomous vehicles operating side by side," Laura Miller, Uber Canada's head of policy, said in a statement, CBC reported. She urged clear safety standards and called on officials to "prepare for the impact on workers," according to CBC. Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said he would like to see thousands more autonomous-driving jobs in the Toronto region, CBC reported.

Winter is a test. "All the sensors can get occluded by snow," said Sidney Givigi, a robotics professor at Queen's University, CBC reported. Waymo says its vehicles have driven in snowy U.S. cities such as Denver and Detroit, NOW Toronto reported.

Residents were split. One Toronto resident said he would "absolutely not" ride in one, CBC reported. "I would have to see more testing because I'd be nervous that the car just has a mind of its own," another resident said, NOW Toronto reported.

What we know: Waymo has a provincial permit to start manual mapping and testing in Toronto and is aiming for paid driverless rides in 2028.
What we don't: Whether Ontario will have rules in place for a commercial driverless service by then.