Waymo’s self-driving vehicles have been roaming the streets in more than a dozen cities. Now, the company is opening the doors of its newest fleet to select passengers.
Called the Ojai (pronounced like “Oh, hi”), the modified Zeekr vehicles are boxier and more spacious than the Jaguar I-Pace that Waymo has been using over the last few years. The Ojai has a flat floor, more legroom and higher ceilings, as well as dual-sliding doors that give you more room when entering and exiting the car. Overall, it feels a lot like a roomy van on the inside.
The Ojai is equipped with the sixth-generation Waymo Driver, which is designed to handle harsher weather conditions, including snow — meaning it’ll be easier for Waymo to expand to more cities. The sixth-generation self-driving tech can detect more details and gauge objects in a variety of lighting and weather conditions, according to Waymo.
Watch this: Testing Waymo’s Safe Exit Feature in a Self-Driving Taxi
Fully autonomous rides in the Ojai are opening up starting in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, before expanding to more cities later this summer. Riders can express interest in trying out the new vehicle in the Waymo app, which is where they’ll be notified when the opportunity becomes available to them.
See more: Waymo Is Quickly Expanding to More Cities. Everything to Know About the Robotaxi
I got an early ride aboard the Ojai in San Francisco. Here’s a peek inside.
The Ojai is a custom-built, modified vehicle from the Chinese EV company Zeekr. It’s more spacious than the Jaguar I-Pace that Waymo has been using for the last several years, and more closely resembles a van.
The Ojai, like the I-Pace, can seat up to four passengers. But unlike its predecessor, the Ojai can be modified in the future to remove the steering wheel, so someone can eventually sit in the “driver’s” seat, too.
Look at all that legroom. The flat floor makes it easier to stretch your legs, too.
Some buttons in the Ojai include Braille, which can be helpful for blind passengers who use Waymo to get around.
Peep the little wiper on the sensor suite. That can help the Ojai navigate tricky weather conditions, such as rain and snow.
The trunk feels big enough to fit all your groceries or even bulkier items like a stroller.
You can use the touchscreen to play music, adjust the temperature or contact customer support. Eventually, the Ojai’s steering wheel can be removed to seat another passenger.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
