Zeekr Built Waymo Ojai Robotaxis Hit US Streets as Waymo Expands to 14 Cities
Waymo has started welcoming public riders in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, extending its paid, fully autonomous ride hailing footprint to 14 cities. A major part of that expansion is the Zeekr built Waymo Ojai robotaxi, a new vehicle platform designed to scale.
Quick facts
- New public markets: Denver, San Diego, and Tampa (public riders are invited gradually).
- Total footprint: Waymo says it is now providing fully autonomous trips across 14 cities.
- New vehicle platform: The Waymo Ojai is built by Zeekr and then outfitted for autonomous service in the United States.
- Why it matters: The Ojai is positioned as a higher volume, lower cost path for scaling Waymo's fleet beyond earlier platforms.
What changed this week: Waymo opens public rides in three more cities
On September 1, 2026, Waymo announced it would begin welcoming public riders in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, bringing its paid, fully autonomous ride hailing footprint to 14 cities. Waymo also emphasized that access will expand gradually as more riders are invited over time.
CarNewsChina reports that Denver and San Diego launched with the Zeekr built Ojai as the exclusive vehicle platform, as Waymo continues transitioning away from its older Jaguar I Pace based fleet.
Editorial note for readers: Waymo uses two terms that are easy to mix up. The vehicle platform is the car itself (such as Ojai). The Waymo Driver is the autonomous hardware and software stack that is integrated into that vehicle.
Meet the Zeekr built Waymo Ojai: a robotaxi designed to scale
The Waymo Ojai is Waymo's latest robotaxi vehicle platform supplied by Zeekr. According to CarNewsChina, the platform has been associated with identifiers such as Zeekr CM1e and the earlier Zeekr RT designation.
Why the Ojai matters now
- Fleet transition timing: Jaguar I Pace and E Pace production at Magna Steyr ended in December 2024, tightening the pipeline of ready to buy EV platforms at scale.
- Scaling plan: Waymo and Magna operate an integration facility in Mesa, Arizona designed to scale fleet production, and Waymo has said this site can support much higher volumes over time.
- All weather ambition: Waymo says the Ojai is the first vehicle to debut the sixth generation Waymo Driver and help it serve even snowier conditions.
Ojai vs the older Jaguar I Pace robotaxi setup (high level)
| Category | Waymo Ojai (Zeekr supplied platform) | Waymo Jaguar I Pace era (context) |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing approach | Vehicle platform built abroad, then integrated for autonomy in Mesa, Arizona | Vehicle supplied as a complete consumer car, then retrofitted for autonomy |
| Waymo Driver generation | Sixth generation Waymo Driver | Fifth generation Waymo Driver (earlier fleet) |
| Sensor suite (Waymo Driver 6) | 13 cameras, 4 lidar, 6 radar (Waymo stated) | CarNewsChina notes the prior setup used more sensors |
Pros for Waymo
- Clearer manufacturing and integration workflow for scaling
- Newer sensor suite designed to reduce cost while maintaining redundancy
- Platform tuned for fleet use, including rider access and cabin utility
Cons and constraints
- Trade and policy risk tied to China linked supply chains
- Ramp depends on depot capacity, charging, cleaning, and remote support
- Public access typically expands gradually, not overnight
How a China built chassis becomes a US robotaxi
CarNewsChina describes a split production model: Zeekr manufactures the vehicle platform in Ningbo, China, and the vehicles are then shipped to the United States for autonomous system integration in Mesa, Arizona. Waymo supplies the autonomous driving system, compute, and sensors, and Magna is involved in downstream integration.
Waymo has also publicly described its Mesa site as a Driver integration plant operated with Magna, designed to scale Waymo enabled vehicles and integrate the sixth generation Waymo Driver onto new platforms.
What does "rolling glider" mean in plain English
In automotive manufacturing, a "glider" can refer to a vehicle that is not complete in its final configuration. In this case, CarNewsChina reports the imported Ojai platforms are treated as incomplete vehicles for customs purposes, and then Waymo and Magna install the autonomy hardware, sensors, software, and related systems later in the US.
The sensor stack: Waymo Driver goes leaner without going blind
Waymo has said its sixth generation Waymo Driver sensor suite uses 13 cameras, 4 lidar, and 6 radar, designed to reduce cost while keeping overlapping sensing coverage for safety and robustness.
This design choice matters because robotaxi scale is not only a software problem. It is also a hardware bill of materials problem. Every sensor you remove or simplify changes manufacturing cost, maintenance, calibration time, and supply chain complexity.
Why multiple sensor types are still central to Waymo's approach
- Lidar helps build a 3D geometry view of the world and measure distances precisely.
- Radar can be resilient in poor visibility conditions and directly measures relative speed.
- Cameras provide rich semantic detail like lights, signs, and lane context.
Watch: Inside Waymo's Ojai robotaxi (video)
Video: A ride and walkthrough of the Waymo Ojai robotaxi, including context on manufacturing and scaling (CNBC, May 2026).
Tariffs and connected vehicle rules: the policy headwinds behind the rollout
The Zeekr supplied platform arrives in the US against a backdrop of two major policy realities: steep tariffs on China built EVs and tighter scrutiny of connected vehicle technology supply chains.
1) Tariffs: why 102.5 percent gets cited so often
US policy changes raised the effective duty on Chinese made electric vehicles to a level widely reported as 102.5 percent (driven by a 100 percent Section 301 tariff increase layered on top of prior duties). CarNewsChina applies this context when estimating how tariffs affect landed cost for imported Ojai chassis.
2) Connected vehicle supply chain restrictions
The US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security has published connected vehicle supply chain rules and resources focused on restricting certain connected vehicle hardware and covered software with a sufficient nexus to China or Russia, citing national security concerns. This policy area is one reason robotaxi hardware sourcing and onboard connectivity systems receive intense scrutiny.
Why this matters for robotaxis specifically
- Robotaxis rely on advanced sensors, compute, and connectivity, which can trigger higher policy attention than basic vehicles.
- Even if the autonomy software is US developed, supply chain questions can still shape what can be imported and how it is integrated.
- Regulatory uncertainty can become a scaling bottleneck, just like hardware supply or depot capacity.
What this signals for the robotaxi race
The practical takeaway is that Waymo expansion is increasingly a fleet operations story, not just an autonomy demo story. Opening new cities requires a repeatable playbook: vehicles, integration capacity, charging and maintenance, mapping and validation, and staged rider access.
It also raises an uncomfortable but important strategic tension: the Ojai platform can help Waymo scale faster, but it also ties a key part of the physical vehicle supply chain to geopolitical and regulatory risk. That risk is not theoretical, given the direction of connected vehicle policy and the tariff environment.
Key takeaways
- Waymo is now welcoming public riders in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa, and says its footprint reaches 14 cities.
- The Zeekr built Waymo Ojai is becoming a central vehicle platform in that expansion.
- Waymo's sixth generation sensor suite is designed to reduce cost while keeping multi sensor redundancy.
- Tariffs and connected vehicle supply chain rules remain the biggest external constraints on China linked platforms.
FAQ
Is Waymo available to the public in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa right now?
Waymo says it began welcoming public riders in these cities on September 1, 2026, and that access expands gradually through invitations as it ramps operations.
What is the Waymo Ojai robotaxi?
The Waymo Ojai is Waymo's newer robotaxi vehicle platform supplied by Zeekr and integrated with the sixth generation Waymo Driver in the United States.
Is the Waymo Ojai made in China?
CarNewsChina reports the Ojai vehicle platform is manufactured in Ningbo, China, shipped to the US, and then outfitted with autonomy hardware and systems in Mesa, Arizona.
How many sensors does the sixth generation Waymo Driver use?
Waymo has stated the sixth generation sensor suite uses 13 cameras, 4 lidar sensors, and 6 radar sensors.
Why is Waymo using a Zeekr platform even with high tariffs?
CarNewsChina reports that even after applying tariff math, industry estimates may still favor the Ojai platform versus older, higher cost builds, but Waymo has not disclosed its detailed vehicle level economics publicly.
What does "rolling glider" mean for robotaxi imports?
In this context, CarNewsChina uses the term to describe a vehicle platform imported without the full autonomy and connected systems installed, with integration completed later in the US.
Does Waymo rely only on cameras like some competitors?
No. Waymo describes its approach as multi sensor, using cameras, lidar, and radar to provide overlapping coverage designed for robust operation across conditions.
Conclusion
Waymo's September 2026 expansion is notable for two reasons: it pushes public, fully autonomous ride hailing into more US markets, and it puts the Zeekr built Ojai platform at the center of a higher volume scaling strategy. The autonomy milestone is real, but the bigger story is operational: building, integrating, and maintaining enough vehicles to meet demand while navigating policy and supply chain constraints.
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Further reading (external references)
- Waymo: Welcoming our first riders in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa (Sep 2026)
- Waymo: Meet the 6th generation Waymo Driver (sensor suite details)
- Waymo: Scaling our fleet through US manufacturing (Mesa plant context)
- USTR: Section 301 tariff changes including EV tariff increase
- US Commerce BIS: Connected vehicle supply chain proposed rule announcement
- Top Gear: Jaguar I Pace production ending in December 2024
