Waymo Launches Next-Gen Ojai Robotaxi for Riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco
- Published
- Source
- TechCrunch
Waymo has officially opened its next-generation robotaxi, the Ojai, to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. This marks a significant step for the Alphabet company as it aims to expand its fleet with vehicles that are more cost-effective to build, operate, and maintain. Currently, Waymo has approximately 300 Ojai robotaxis in its commercial fleet, with plans to introduce the vehicle in Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year.
The introduction of the Ojai is crucial for Waymo's long-term strategy to achieve mass scale and profitability. The Ojai features Waymo's sixth-generation self-driving system, which is designed to be modular and compatible with various vehicle types. Additionally, it includes a redesigned user interface and Google’s Gemini AI, enhancing the rider experience. The Ojai is based on a minivan produced by Zeekr, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, and aims to be both attractive and durable for frequent use.
Looking ahead, Waymo is projected to import 5,000 Ojai vehicles to the United States by the end of 2026, significantly increasing its fleet size compared to the existing Jaguar I-Pace. However, the company faces challenges due to U.S. tariffs on imported vehicles, which impact overall costs. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
Waymo’s cheaper, next-gen robotaxi is now open to all riders in these three cities
TechCrunch · Kirsten KorosecThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
-
3
RobotToday Weekly October 5 – 9, 2026 RobotToday · 1 day ago
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Related Suppliers
Waymo
United States
Alphabet's autonomous driving subsidiary operating Waymo One robotaxi service across 10 US cities with 500,000+ weekly rides.
Delsys
United States
Natick, MA maker, founded 1993, of Trigno wireless surface EMG and IMU sensors (up to 32 per base) plus an API for myoelectric control of robots and prostheses.
Lyft
United States
US rideshare platform deploying robotaxis via asset-light partnerships with Waymo, Mobileye, May Mobility and Baidu.
Rimac Group
Croatia/Hrvatska
Croatian EV technology group making the Nevera hypercar, high-performance battery/drivetrain systems and the Verne autonomous robotaxi.
XPENG Inc. 小鹏汽车
China
Chinese EV maker expanding into autonomous vehicles and humanoid robotics; developing IRON humanoid robot targeting mass production in 2026.
Cyngn
United States
NASDAQ-listed autonomous industrial vehicle company providing AI-powered DriveMod technology for material handling fleets.
ex9
France
French startup developing autonomous electric yard tractors and fleet software for driverless trailer movements in logistics and industrial sites.
Nuro AI
United States
US autonomous-driving company licensing the Level 4 Nuro Driver system, with 1.7M+ autonomous miles and no at-fault incidents.
Aurora Innovation
United States
NASDAQ-listed self-driving company whose Aurora Driver runs commercial driverless freight trucks in Texas, day and night.
Intrinsic Innovation
United States
Intrinsic Innovation builds AI-powered software platforms that make industrial robotics programming and deployment accessible to manufacturers and developers.
Starcloud
United States
Starcloud (founded 2024, Redmond WA) launched Starcloud-1, the first satellite with an Nvidia H100 GPU, targeting gigawatt-scale orbital AI data centers.
Fujitsu North America
United States
US subsidiary of Japan's Fujitsu Ltd delivering IT services, digital transformation, RPA, and automation solutions across North America.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.
