Waymo is planning to roll out its Ojai robotaxis in three U.S. cities initially: San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. The all-electric vans should offer a far better ride quality and cabin experience compared to the current Jaguar I-Pace crossovers.
Waymo said the Ojai is more accessible with braille and screen reader integrated into the seat handles. It also has more interior space, with better ingress and egress thanks to sliding doors, a flat floor and a low step.
The Ojai is actually made by Zeekr, a premium brand under the Geely umbrella in China. Chinese EVs are effectively walled off from the U.S. due to high tariffs, and the U.S. imposes sweeping restrictions on Chinese-origin software and hardware.
Waymo says it's complying with U.S. rules by shipping only what it calls "base vehicles," which don't include Chinese-origin telematics or connected systems. These base vehicles are then fitted with Waymo's proprietary systems at its facility in Mesa, Arizona. 

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