Waymo Launches Purpose-Built Ojai Robotaxi With Sixth-Gen Hardware
The new electric fleet marks a shift from retrofitted consumer cars to a custom ride-hailing design.
Waymo has begun offering rides in its new Ojai robotaxi to select riders in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. The move signals a strategic pivot toward a purpose-built fleet designed specifically for the demands of autonomous ride-hailing.
Unlike previous iterations of the service, which relied on retrofitted consumer vehicles like the Jaguar I-PACE and Chrysler Pacifica, the Ojai is Waymo's first vehicle designed from the ground up for the ride-sharing market. The vehicles are manufactured by Zeekr in China as "gliders" before being transported to Waymo's factory in Mesa, Arizona, where they are outfitted with the company's proprietary autonomous hardware.
A Leaner Sensor Suite
Central to the Ojai's rollout is the debut of the sixth-generation Waymo Driver. This updated hardware represents a significant optimization of the vehicle's perception system, reducing the total sensor count by 42%. Specifically, the system has moved from 29 cameras down to 13, and from five lidars down to four, while maintaining or improving overall capability.
This hardware evolution comes as Waymo continues to scale its operational footprint. The company has now surpassed 20 million autonomous trips and currently delivers approximately 500,000 paid rides per week across 11 different cities.
Path to Scalability
The shift to a purpose-built chassis and a streamlined sensor suite is critical for the company's long-term unit economics. By reducing the complexity of the hardware and optimizing the vehicle for rider experience rather than consumer ownership, Waymo aims to lower the per-ride cost of operation.
Beyond the financial implications, the sixth-generation hardware provides a technical bridge to new environments. The updated system enables operations in rain and snow, removing a primary geographic barrier that has previously limited the company's expansion into colder U.S. markets, such as Chicago.
Future Expansion
As the Ojai moves from select riders to a broader rollout, the industry will be watching how the reduced sensor count performs in complex urban environments compared to the previous generations. While the Ojai is currently limited to three major cities, its ability to handle adverse weather suggests a wider national expansion is the next logical step for the fleet.