Waymo has begun offering select riders free trips in its newest robotaxi, the Ojai, a purpose-built minivan designed to lower operating costs and handle hundreds of thousands of rides. The blue, wedge-shaped vehicle is now accepting passengers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to other cities in the coming weeks.

What Makes the Ojai Different From Waymo's Current Fleet?

The Ojai represents a fundamental shift in Waymo's approach to robotaxis. Unlike the company's current fleet of modified Jaguar i-Pace vehicles, the Ojai is purpose-built from the ground up for autonomous ride-sharing. Designed in Sweden and manufactured in China by Geely-owned Zeekr, the minivan is based on the SEA-M architecture, a platform specifically created for "future mobility products" like robotaxis and logistics vehicles.

The vehicle itself is stripped of any Chinese connected-car technology before arriving at Waymo's Arizona factory, where the company installs its sixth-generation autonomous driving system. This system includes 13 cameras, four lidar sensors, six radar units, and an array of external audio receivers. The sixth-generation system is modular, meaning it can be applied to multiple vehicle types, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which Waymo has also announced.

The design prioritizes passenger comfort and ease of maintenance. The Ojai features a flat floor, low step-in height, and gondola-style doors on both sides to avoid "dooring" cyclists. Inside, passengers find USB Type-C charging ports, cup holders, grab bars, braille above buttons, and three adaptive screens for controlling the route, music, and climate.

Why Is Waymo Building Its Own Purpose-Designed Vehicle?

The Ojai launch comes at a critical moment for Waymo. The company recently suspended freeway robotaxi service in Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, and San Francisco after a viral video showed one of its vehicles blasting through construction cones. Waymo also paused operations in Atlanta and San Antonio to address flooding issues with its Jaguar i-Pace fleet. These setbacks underscore the challenges of scaling autonomous vehicles in real-world conditions.

The new vehicle is designed to address these operational challenges while enabling profitable growth. A purpose-built robotaxi is easier to maintain, faster to charge, and less expensive to operate than modified consumer vehicles. The Ojai's modular design, increased battery capacity, and easier-to-clean interior all contribute to lower maintenance costs. Waymo said it is now scaling toward a capacity of tens of thousands of units annually, starting with the Ojai and followed by the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

"We want to do it safely, allowing that to guide our progress, but we anticipate rolling out within the coming weeks," said Sandy Karp, a Waymo spokesperson.

Sandy Karp, Spokesperson at Waymo

How to Get a Ride in Waymo's New Ojai

• Sign Up Through the App: Interested riders can sign up through the Waymo app to be matched with one of the blue Ojai robotaxis for free test rides during the initial rollout phase.
• Limited Availability: For now, Waymo is offering free rides to a limited number of customers to gather feedback and refine the experience before broader expansion.
• No Shared Rides Yet: Unlike Uber, Waymo has no plans to offer shared rides in the Ojai, meaning each booking gets a dedicated vehicle.

What Does This Mean for Waymo's Future?

The Ojai launch signals that Waymo is transitioning from testing autonomous vehicles to building a scalable, profitable business. The company currently operates more than 3,700 Jaguar i-Pace vehicles and provides over 500,000 paid robotaxi rides every week. The new vehicle is designed to accelerate that growth while reducing the per-ride cost of operations.

At launch, Waymo will deploy over 100 Ojais across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, though the company did not specify how many would be allocated to each region. The company is also testing the sixth-generation system in Las Vegas, Denver, and San Diego, with plans to launch service in Denver, Washington D.C., and other snowy cities where improved weather performance is critical.

The Ojai's arrival also reflects lessons learned from Waymo's 500,000-plus weekly paid rides. The vehicle incorporates technological progress and operational insights from that real-world experience, designed to handle the wear and tear of high-volume ride-sharing. For Waymo, the blue minivan represents not just a new vehicle, but a new chapter in its path toward autonomous ride-sharing at scale.