Waymo starts offering rides in new Ojai robotaxi with 6th-gen Driver

Waymo is beginning to offer select riders trips in its new purpose-built Ojai robotaxi, debuting the company’s 6th-generation Driver hardware across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Trips will be free for a limited time.

The Ojai represents a significant step for Waymo, which has now surpassed 20 million fully autonomous trips across 11 cities — a scale that no competitor comes close to matching.

Waymo’s purpose-built robotaxi enters service

The Ojai is Waymo’s first purpose-built robotaxi — designed from the ground up as a rider-first vehicle rather than a retrofitted consumer car. Built by Zeekr and then outfitted with Waymo’s autonomous driving hardware at the company’s Arizona factory, the van-style vehicle features an expansive cabin with increased legroom, three large adaptive screens for rear passengers, charging ports, and cup holders.

Accessibility was clearly a priority. The Ojai features a flat floor and low step-in height for easier entry and exit, braille markings, grab bars, and other features designed for riders with disabilities. One of Waymo’s press images shows a visually impaired rider with a white cane interacting with the vehicle — a signal that the company is serious about making autonomous rides accessible to everyone.