Alphabet’s Waymo has officially opened its next-generation robotaxis, named Ojai, to all riders across Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Built in partnership with China’s Zeekr, these new vehicles aim to significantly reduce manufacturing, operating, and maintenance costs compared to the company’s legacy Jaguar fleet.
Equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation autonomous system and Google’s Gemini AI as an in-car assistant, the Ojai marks a crucial step toward mass-market scalability and commercial profitability. Despite facing heavy U.S. import tariffs on Chinese-built chassis, Waymo continues to scale rapidly, with plans to introduce the vehicles to additional cities later this year.
- New Ojai robotaxis launched for all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.
- Designed to be cheaper to build and maintain than previous Jaguar models.
- Features Waymo’s sixth-gen autonomous tech and Google Gemini AI integration.
- Expansion to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego planned for later this year.
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