Waymo has renamed its Zeekr-built robotaxi ahead of its entry into commercial service, rebranding the vehicle as Ojai, TechCrunch reported, as the Alphabet-owned company moves toward broader deployment of its autonomous ride-hailing fleet.
The vehicle, previously known as the Zeekr RT, was developed in partnership with Zeekr, a Chinese electric vehicle brand owned by Geely Holding Group. Waymo said the new name was chosen because the company determined that “the U.S. public isn’t familiar with the Zeekr brand,” according to spokesperson Chris Bonelli. The name Ojai is drawn from the town of Ojai in California’s Topatopa Mountains above Los Angeles.
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Waymo first partnered with Zeekr in 2021 and unveiled a concept of a purpose-built robotaxi the following year in Los Angeles. The vehicle is based on Zeekr’s SEA-M architecture, which was designed for future mobility products such as robotaxis and logistics vehicles. Early prototypes did not feature a steering wheel, but the version unveiled at CES 2026 — now branded Ojai — includes one.
The robotaxi has undergone several years of testing and refinement in U.S. cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. Waymo has said the vehicle is equipped with 13 cameras, four lidar units, six radar sensors and external audio receivers, with the hardware configuration unchanged. The company has made minor exterior updates, including shifting the paint finish from a bluish tone to a more silver colour, ahead of launch.
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Waymo said employees, along with their friends and family, are now able to hail the Ojai robotaxi in San Francisco and Phoenix, a step that typically precedes public availability.
The renaming comes as Waymo continues to expand its commercial robotaxi service, which currently operates in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. The company has said it plans to launch in around a dozen additional cities over the next year, including Denver, Las Vegas and London.
