Waymo’s New Robotaxi Minivans Are Now Taking Paying Passengers

The Chinese-made Zeekr vans are fitted with Waymo’s sixth-generation hardware and software suite.

Waymo Ojai

Photo by: Waymo

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Aug 20, at 8:54am ET

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Waymo is now offering paid rides in its new Ojai autonomous vans.
The Zeekr-made electric robotaxis are available for all riders in three U.S. cities.
Initially, riders may be matched with an Ojai when they order a Waymo.

Waymo, the biggest robotaxi company in the United States, has started offering paid rides in its new Ojai electric minivans in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The rollout comes after a limited trial where some riders could hail an Ojai for free.

The larger vehicles feature sliding doors and can seat up to four passengers, making them better suited for families, at least compared to the aging Jaguar I-Pace EVs that have become a staple of San Francisco’s roads.

Waymo Ojai

Photo by: Waymo

For now, riders who order a Waymo in these three cities may be matched with an Ojay or an I-Pace, but further down the road, when there are more minivans available, the Alphabet-owned company will offer customers a choice between the two vehicles.

Built in China by Zeekr, the Ojai minivans feature Waymo’s sixth-generation hardware and software suite. Despite facing hiked import tariffs, the lovable EVs are much cheaper to build and operate than the Jaguar I-Paces that Waymo has been using for years. The vehicles are shipped to the United States without any connected car technologies.

Then, Waymo’s factory in Arizona installs the proprietary self-driving system that includes 13 cameras, four lidars, and six radars. The software was also redesigned to better handle harsh weather conditions, including snow and fog.

Waymo Ojai

Photo by: Waymo

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There are about 300 Ojai robotaxis up and running right now, according to a company spokesperson quoted by TechCrunch, but Waymo has big plans for the new EV. The Ojai will roll out to select riders in Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year, with thousands of autonomous minivans expected to land in the U.S. by the end of 2026.

The robotaxi market is rapidly heating up in the U.S. and around the world. Stateside, Waymo is still the undisputed leader, and the addition of many more purpose-built autonomous vehicles is sure to keep it at the top of the charts for the foreseeable future. However, many rivals are trying their best to outrank the Alphabet-owned entity, including Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox.