Will Robotaxis Ever Come to Canada?

Humans have been experimenting with the idea of self-driving cars for over a century. From the first experiments in the 1920s to the creation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in the 2010s, most major automakers and several high-tech companies have committed to designing autonomous vehicles (AVs) that allow the driver to hand over control of the car completely or have no driver at all. Around the world, autonomous driving pilot projects are underway. And in some American cities, you can hail an autonomous taxi — or "robotaxi" — that arrives with no human at the wheel.

But while these AV advancements are moving ahead in other parts of the world, will robotaxis ever become a reality in Canada?

Driverless Cars Have Moved From Fantasy to Reality

For many of us, the definition of a robotaxi comes from fiction, like the 1980’s Pontiac Firebird Trans Am known as KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) from television's Knight Rider or the Johnny Cab from the 1990 film Total Recall. Since then, self-driving vehicles have become a reality on our roads.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) defines six levels of AVs, ranging from no automation (Level 0) to full automation (Level 5). Robotoxis must have Level 4 certification, which means the cars can operate without a driver most of the time. Employing artificial intelligence (AI) and sensors, Level 4 AVs can navigate and transport passengers who have hailed the vehicle via an app, just like when you order a human-driven taxicab, Uber, or Lyft. However, they do require human input in some driving situations.

As of early 2025, passengers can hail robotaxis in the U.S. and China, while driverless taxis are being tested in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. In the U.S., California has permitted Tesla to run a fleet of AVs for scheduled rides with its employees. General Motors hopes to grow its presence in the AV sector with a new partnership with chip maker Nvidia and the recent full acquisition of Cruise to develop and deploy AV technology, including the existing Super Cruise hands-free driving system available in several GM models. Only the Alphabet subsidiary Waymo offers a public robotaxi service, limited to Austin, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles regions.

Canadians Have Been Cautious to Jump on the Robotaxi Bandwagon

Hailing a robotaxi hasn't become a reality in Canada yet. One of the biggest hurdles, besides how inclement weather can affect the sensors and cameras, is overcoming government regulations and approvals to operate driverless cabs alongside human-driven vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians on public roads. Falling under the jurisdiction of the provinces, robotaxi regulations and guidelines around testing and deploying are in various phases of implementation.

Ontario, for instance, has begun testing AVs on public roads, but under strict conditions. The province started a 10-year Automated Vehicle Pilot Program in 2016, which required a driver to be on board for safety reasons. Launched in 2019, the Ottawa L5 Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Test Facility is a collaborative effort between Invest Ottawa and other organizations using public and private tracks to support AV research, development, commercialization and testing.

Quebec has executed a handful of pilot projects. The first was in 2019 on public roads in Candiac, where a minibus operated at low speeds on a two-kilometre route. That same year, Montréal launched two autonomous shuttles on a route with a round-trip distance of 2.8 km, connecting the Olympic Park and the Maisonneuve Market. In 2021 and 2022, autonomous minibus testing involving two shuttle buses was held in Montréal's Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood. The project ended in September 2022.

The Future of Robotaxis in Canada is Unclear

While robotaxi companies benefit from lower labour costs by eliminating the need for a human driver, the services also promise another form of public transportation. The argument for robotaxis also includes a significant increase in road safety, contributing to smoother traffic flow and reduced congestion. And because robotaxis are powered by batteries, they offer a greener future for public transportation.

One J.D. Power study suggests that consumers may warm to driverless vehicles as familiarity with the technology grows beyond test markets. The study found that fear about autonomous driving technology fades after taking one robotaxi ride; 76 per cent of study respondents who rode in an AV reported confidence in the technology versus 20 per cent who had never experienced a driverless ride.

"The robotaxi segment is still anyone's game, given that most people are not familiar with robotaxi brands and haven't formed a clear associative imagery," Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power, said in a press release.

In lieu of the public's confidence in driverless cabs, one Canadian province has indicated it does not want robotaxis on its roads. In 2024, British Columbia announced that it would prohibit the commercial use of SAE Level 3 and higher AVs on public roads starting in 2025. Anyone caught driving a fully automated vehicle in B.C. could face penalties of up to $2,000 and six months in jail.