Waymo is preparing to carry non-employee passengers in its newest autonomous Zeekr RT minivan, rebranded as Ojai. After months of testing, select riders will be invited first in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with expansion to more riders and cities planned gradually. Initial trips will be free while Waymo gathers data on passenger experience, with paid rides to follow. The minivan uses fewer sensors than Waymo’s Jaguar robotaxis. It introduces Waymo’s sixth generation autonomous technology, replacing the fifth generation Jaguar I-Pace fleet that ended after the model was discontinued at the end of 2024. Future vehicles are planned with Hyundai and Toyota partnerships.
"After several months of testing, Waymo is finally ready to invite non-employee passengers into its newest vehicle, the Zeekr RT minivan, which has been rebranded as Ojai. Waymo says it will begin offering "select riders" access in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, before "gradually" expanding to more riders and cities. Trips will be free to start out, as Waymo collects data about the passenger experience in the new vehicle. Paid rides will follow."
"Waymo's current fleet of Jaguar I-Pace vehicles runs on the company's fifth generation technology, first rolled out in March 2020. But that vehicle has reached the end of its shelf life, after Jaguar discontinued the model at the end of 2024. The Ojai will be the debut of the sixth generation system, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Waymo is also partnering with Toyota for future models."
"The new minivan, which is made by China's Zeekr, uses fewer sensors than the company's Jaguar robotaxis. It also represents the debut of Waymo's sixth generation technology. It's been nearly four years since Waymo first debuted the Zeekr minivan as its next, purpose-built autonomous ridehail vehicle. It's the second ground-up design that Waymo has unveiled after the original Firefly, the iconic tiny bubble car that was retired in 2017."
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