Waymo’s cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open to all riders in these three cities
Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco using its new Ojai vehicle. The Ojai is a more cost-effective, modular minivan developed in partnership with China's Zeekr and features advanced autonomous technology.
Why it matters
This marks a significant step toward commercial scalability and profitability for autonomous ride-hailing services in major U.S. urban markets.
Waymo has opened its next-generation robotaxi to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco — a notable milestone for the Alphabet company as it pushes to expand its fleet with vehicles that are cheaper to build, operate, and maintain.
For now, customers in these markets may be matched with the new robotaxi, called the Ojai (pronounced oh-hi) when they hail a ride. Once Waymo has enough Ojais in its fleet, riders will be able to choose between the new vehicle and the older Jaguar I-Pace robotaxi. Waymo has about 300 Ojai robotaxis in its commercial fleet today, according to a company spokesperson.
The company said Wednesday that it plans to roll out the Ojai in Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year.
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