Waymo Ojai is built in China by Zeekr and features a suite of 13 cameras, four lidar units, and six millimeter-wave radars. The Robotaxi jointly developed by Waymo and Zeekr has been renamed from “Zeekr RT” to “Ojai” and was officially unveiled at CES 2026, according to a report released by TechCrunch. The rebranding comes just ahead of the vehicle’s planned entry into Waymo’s commercial Robotaxi fleet. The autonomous electric minivan-like vehicle has been manufactured by Zeekr, a brand under Geely, for the past three years and has undergone continuous iteration within Waymo’s testing program. Waymo Ojai The new name, Ojai, is taken from a small town north of Los Angeles. Waymo plans to integrate the name into the in-cabin user experience, with the vehicle greeting passengers upon entry using a voice prompt such as “Oh hi,” followed by the rider’s name. Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli said the immediate reason for the name change is the relatively low awareness of the Zeekr brand in the U.S. market. Waymo aims to downplay the visibility of its vehicle partner and instead strengthen its own Robotaxi service brand. The report also notes that, given the current public discourse in the United States, removing overt Chinese branding from a Robotaxi manufactured by a Chinese automaker could be a safer choice in terms of market acceptance. The partnership between Waymo and Zeekr dates back to 2021, when the two companies reached an agreement for Zeekr to produce purpose-built, fully electric autonomous vehicles for ride-hailing and similar use cases, based on the SEA-M platform. Interior view of Waymo Ojai In 2022, Waymo showcased a steering-wheel-free concept version of the vehicle in Los Angeles. The Ojai model displayed at CES 2026, however, incorporates a steering wheel, aligning more closely with current regulatory requirements and near-term commercial operations. At CES 2025, Waymo presented the vehicle under the name “Zeekr RT” and disclosed some of its hardware specifications, including 13 cameras, four lidar units, and six millimeter-wave radars. Waymo Ojai unveiled at CES 2025 under the name “Zeekr RT” Waymo said the rebranding does not involve any changes to the vehicle’s core systems. The updates are limited to exterior paint, which has been adjusted to better match the silver-gray visual identity of Waymo’s existing fleet. Ojai has now entered the final phase of pre-deployment internal testing. Waymo employees, along with their family members and friends, can already request rides in the vehicle through internal channels in San Francisco and Phoenix, signaling that Ojai is approaching full commercial launch. Waymo is currently accelerating its expansion. In addition to operating Robotaxi services in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, the company plans to enter more than ten additional cities over the next year, including Denver, Las Vegas, and London.
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