Waymo’s newest robotaxi is Chinese-made, built to make money, and now accepting riders

Source: TechCrunch

Waymo has started giving select riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco access to its newest robotaxi: an all‑electric, minivan‑like vehicle designed to lower costs and handle the use and abuse of hundreds of thousands of riders.

Launch and Availability

Waymo said Thursday it will eventually expand access to the vehicle—a modified Zeekr‑made minivan called the Ojai (pronounced “oh‑hi”)—to more riders and cities. For now, the Alphabet‑owned company is offering a limited number of customers free rides in the Ojai to gather feedback and further refine the robotaxi experience.

The launch comes after years of development and testing, all in pursuit of a vehicle that is accessible, comfortable, easy‑to‑maintain, and importantly costs less to build and operate.

Background and Partnership

The Ojai’s foundation comes from Zeekr, the brand owned by China’s Geely Holdings. The companies partnered in 2021 and showed off a concept of a purpose‑built robotaxi in late 2022. Waymo has spent nearly two years testing the prototype and later a production‑intent version of the vehicle on public roads.

The minivan was designed in Sweden and is based on the SEA‑M architecture, a refined version of Zeekr’s original Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) meant for “future mobility products” such as robotaxis and logistics vehicles.

Vehicle Design and Technology

Image Credit: Waymo

Key technical specs

• Waymo’s sixth‑generation system
• 13 cameras, 4 lidar sensors, 6 radar units, and an array of external audio receivers
• Modular hardware that can be applied to multiple vehicle platforms (e.g., Zeekr minivan, Hyundai Ioniq 5)

Design highlights

• Flat floor, low step‑in height, and gondola‑like doors on both sides for easier entry and exit
• Charging ports, cup holders, increased leg and headroom, grab bars, braille labels above various buttons
• Three large adaptive screens for route information, music, climate control, and rider tips
• Easier‑to‑clean interior, faster charging, modular design, and increased battery capacity to reduce costs and streamline maintenance

Waymo’s Fleet and Commercial Strategy

The Ojai reflects the technological progress and lessons learned from more than 500,000 paid robotaxi rides every week. Waymo aims to accelerate fleet growth, which currently consists of about 3,700 Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles.

Stripped‑down Zeekr vehicles are sent to Waymo’s Arizona factory, where they are outfitted with the robotaxi hardware and software. Waymo plans to scale production toward a capacity of tens of thousands of units annually, starting with the Ojai and followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Operational Context

The launch arrives amid a challenging period for Waymo, which recently suspended robotaxi service on freeways in Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, and San Francisco to improve vehicle behavior in construction zones. Waymo also paused services in Atlanta, Georgia, and San Antonio, Texas to address flooding issues.

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