Waymo opens Ojai robotaxi service to all passengers across three cities
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Waymo has fully rolled out its Ojai model vans to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, ending a limited-access trial that began earlier this year. The purpose-built robotaxi, which the company has promoted for its extra space and backseat entertainment features, is the second expansion Waymo has announced within a week, following newly granted permission to operate its driverless cars in Sacramento and San Diego.
Despite the vehicle's name, Waymo is not yet operating in the town of Ojai, California itself. The wider release comes after a rockier period for the company's freeway services, which launched in November but were suspended in May following a recall triggered by vehicles entering closed construction zones, with highway access only reinstated in July.
- Waymo's Ojai vans now open to all riders in LA, Phoenix, SF
- Second Waymo expansion this week, after Sacramento/San Diego approval
- Follows earlier freeway service suspension and recall, fixed in July
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Waymo is the driverless-taxi arm of Google's parent company Alphabet, and it already runs paid robotaxi services in several US cities, including Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. It operates using self-driving cars fitted with sensors and software that let them navigate without a human driver, and passengers book rides through an app much like a conventional taxi service. The "Ojai" is a newer, larger vehicle model that Waymo has built specifically for this service, distinct from the modified regular cars it originally used.
Robotaxis remain a closely watched and sometimes contentious technology, as companies compete to prove driverless vehicles can operate safely and reliably at scale in real city traffic. Waymo is widely seen as the front-runner in the United States, having logged millions of paid rides, but the industry as a whole still faces scrutiny over safety incidents and regulatory approval in new areas. How smoothly new vehicle types and expanded routes are rolled out is one of the ways analysts judge whether the technology is maturing.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Waymo Ojai vans are now available for all riders in three cities”.