Waymo Launches New Large Autonomous Robotaxi, the Ojai

Waymo announced the launch of its new large autonomous robotaxi, the Ojai, on May 28.

The Alphabet-owned robotaxi company described the new vehicle as having an expansive cabin with elevator-like doors and that “opens up like a living room on wheels.”

It also detailed a completely flat floor for ease of getting in and out of the vehicle, as well as three large LED screens that allow riders to customize features such as temperature and music.

“Designed around the rider and powered by our latest 6th-gen Waymo Driver, [the Ojai] will support our next phase of growth,” Waymo Co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov said. “Can’t wait to hear what our first Ojai riders think!”

The Mountain View, California-based company said the new vehicle, which employees have been able to use for months, will be available for select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and will gradually welcome more riders over the coming months.

The company said it will also expand to other cities including Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego, and intends to make it available for all Waymo locations later this year.

Waymo said the Ojai was built from years of collaboration, including input from riders and community partners to make the vehicle more accessible, which helped inspire features like blind-assisted embedded braille, screen-reader compatibility, and a seat-integrated handle for entering and exiting.

The release of the Ojai debuts the 6th-generation Waymo Driver, which the company said will help the robotaxi navigate snowier conditions.

Waymo also said the new system includes its next-gen 17 megapixel imager, which it said captures millions of data points and has exceptional thermal stability, and its 6th-generation lidar, which it said sees greater distances with better fidelity and higher robustness.

Waymo has faced challenges recently. On April 20 in San Antonio, Texas, one of the company’s robotaxis entered a flooded lane during inclement weather, according to a recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The vehicle detected that the roadway might be impassable but still proceeded ahead at reduced speed. As a result, Waymo later announced it would voluntarily recall 3,791 robotaxis due to a software issue that could cause the vehicles to continue traveling on flooded roadways.

The company has temporarily suspended freeway service in San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, and Phoenix to make performance improvements, especially in areas where highway construction zones could affect the taxis’ navigation, a company spokesperson confirmed with The Epoch Times on May 22.