Waymo has opened its next-generation robotaxi, the Ojai, to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco1. The rollout marks a commercial milestone for the Alphabet subsidiary as it transitions from its modified Jaguar I-Pace fleet toward a vehicle designed for lower production, operating, and maintenance costs.
Waymo has approximately 300 Ojai robotaxis in its commercial fleet today, according to a company spokesperson. Customers in the three launch markets may now be matched with an Ojai when they hail a ride; once fleet density is sufficient, riders will be able to choose between the Ojai and the older Jaguar I-Pace.
The company said Wednesday that it plans to roll out the Ojai in Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year. Waymo's robotaxi fleet currently operates in 11 U.S. cities.
The Ojai is equipped with Waymo's sixth-generation self-driving system, which the company describes as modular and designed to work across multiple vehicle types — a feature central to its commercial scaling strategy. The vehicle also includes a redesigned user interface and Google's Gemini AI, which serves as an in-car assistant for riders. KTLA described the Ojai as a "minivan-like" robotaxi2.
The Ojai is built on Zeekr's SEA-M platform, a partnership that dates to 2021. In July alone, 725 Ojai vehicles entered the United States. MoffettNathanson estimates Waymo is on pace to bring 5,000 Ojai vehicles to the country by the end of 2026.
Waymo has relied on the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace for years, but the company has characterized that vehicle as a stopgap in its longer-term push toward mass scale and profitability.
ANALYSIS The shift from the Jaguar I-Pace to the purpose-oriented Ojai, with its modular sixth-generation autonomy stack and a projected fleet ramp to 5,000 vehicles by year-end, signals a transition from proof-of-concept operations to a cost-driven scaling phase. The integration of Gemini AI as an in-car assistant adds a consumer-facing AI layer on top of the core autonomous driving system, tying Waymo's rider experience more tightly to Alphabet's broader generative-AI stack.