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Waymo has spent the past three years refining and testing a minivan-like vehicle made by Chinese automaker Zeekr. And now, before this robotaxi joins Waymo\u2019s official commercial fleet, it\u2019s getting a new name, the company told TechCrunch. <\/p>\n
The Zeekr RT robotaxi will now be named Ojai (pronounced \u201coh-hi\u201d) \u2014 after the village in the Topatopa Mountains above Los Angeles that is known for its arts community and focus on wellness. <\/p>\n
Waymo\u2019s official explanation, per spokesperson Chris Bonelli, is that the company determined the U.S. public isn\u2019t familiar with the Zeekr brand. That branding may even carry through to the rider experience. Apparently, when customers eventually get into the Ojai, the robotaxi will greet them with an \u201cOh hi\u201d and their name. Cute. <\/p>\n
Of course, in the U.S. it might not hurt to ditch the name of a Chinese automaker either. <\/p>\n
For those unfamiliar, Waymo first struck a partnership<\/a> with Geely Holding Group-owned Zeekr in 2021. Waymo showed off a concept of a purpose-built robotaxi the following year at a splashy event in Los Angeles. The prototype<\/a> was based on a version of Zeekr\u2019s SEA-M architecture designed for \u201cfuture mobility products\u201d like robotaxis and logistics vehicles. <\/p>\n Notably, the prototype didn\u2019t have a steering wheel. But the Ojai one, which was shown off at CES 2026, does.<\/p>\n The Zeekr RT (now Ojai) has gone through some fine-tuning over the years as it has gone through development and testing in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. Last year at CES, Waymo gave the robotaxi the now-retired name of Zeekr RT<\/a> and showcased some of its hardware, including 13 cameras, four lidar, six radar, an array of external audio receivers, and the tiniest sensor wipers you\u2019ve ever seen. <\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco<\/span> That hardware suite is the same. But the paint color has been tweaked, according to the company. Waymo told TechCrunch the paint color, which had a blueish tint, is now more silver. <\/p>\n All of these final tweaks have happened ahead of Ojai\u2019s imminent launch into commercial service. Waymo employees, and their family and friends, are now able to hail the Zeekr van in San Francisco and Phoenix \u2014 typically one of the last steps before it becomes available to the public. <\/p>\n Waymo is in the midst of a rapid expansion. The company, which offers a commercial robotaxi service in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, plans to launch in a dozen more cities over the next year. Those cities include Denver, Las Vegas, and London<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 13-15, 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n