Waymo's cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open
Waymo has opened its next-gen Ojai robotaxi to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, with plans to expand to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Waymo has opened its new Ojai robotaxi to all general riders
- The service is now live in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco
- The fleet currently features around 300 Ojai vehicles in operation
Alphabet-owned Waymo has reached a significant milestone by opening its next-generation robotaxi to all riders across Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. This expansion marks a major push for the company as it scales up its fleet with vehicles designed to be more affordable to build, operate, and maintain.
Customers in these launch markets may currently be matched with the new vehicle, named the Ojai (pronounced oh-hi), when hailing a ride. Once the company builds up a sufficient supply of Ojais, users will gain the ability to choose between the new model and Waymo's older Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis. A company spokesperson noted that approximately 300 Ojai robotaxis are active in the commercial fleet today.
The company announced on Wednesday that it also intends to roll out the Ojai service in Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year as part of its ongoing growth strategy.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
For several years, Waymo relied on modified, all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles equipped with sensor suites, which currently operate across 11 U.S. cities. While these white autonomous hatchbacks became a familiar sight in places like San Francisco, they served primarily as a stopgap measure toward the company's long-term goals of mass scale and eventual profitability.
The introduction of the Ojai, which uses base vehicles from Zeekr, addresses cost-efficiency goals despite facing steep U.S. import tariffs on Chinese-built cars. The base vehicles arrive stripped of connected-car technology and are sent to Waymo's Arizona facility for full integration of the autonomous driving system.
New York-based research firm MoffettNathanson, which tracks shipments through detailed import data, estimates that Waymo is on track to bring 5,000 Ojai vehicles into the United States by the end of 2026. This total would more than double the size of its existing Jaguar fleet. In July alone, 725 Ojai vehicles entered the country, highlighting the rapid pace of Waymo's commercial expansion.
Source: TechCrunch
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