Waymo debuts Ojai robotaxi with leaner 6th-gen Driver across three cities

Waymo has begun offering limited free rides in its new Ojai robotaxi—the first purpose-built Waymo vehicle—with the 6th-generation Driver across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The Ojai emphasizes rider experience and accessibility, features a spacious rear cabin and easier entry, and uses a redesigned hardware stack that cuts sensors by about 42% while increasing capability, enabling snow operation and lowering unit costs to under $20,000. Waymo has now surpassed 20 million autonomous trips in 11 cities and plans broader geographic and production expansion from its Arizona factory to tens of thousands of units per year, while continuing to scale to additional markets beyond the initial three.