Waymo has started providing rides with its new Ojai robotaxis to select customers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to San Diego, Las Vegas, and Denver this summer.
The Ojai vehicles are designed to perform better in snowy conditions and are more cost effective to produce than Waymo’s previous fleet.
Currently, Alphabet’s self-driving division operates about 100 Ojai vehicles out of nearly 4,000 cars, with plans to deploy thousands more by year end, Waymo’s head of design, Ryan Powell.
The Ojai model was first announced in 2024 and initially tested with employees and guests earlier this year.
As Waymo aims to strengthen its lead over competitors like Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox, the company is focusing on cost control and technological advancements.
The Ojai is the first vehicle built on the sixth generation Waymo Driver, which features enhanced capabilities for detecting critical details in low light conditions.
Source (CNBC)
