Waymo and Zeekr robotaxis have received a new name — Ojai

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has announced the rebranding of its new robotaxi, developed in collaboration with Chinese automaker Zeekr. The model, previously known as the Zeekr RT, will now be called Ojai before entering commercial service as part of Waymo’s fleet.

The rebranding is due to the fact that the Zeekr brand is largely unknown to the general public in the United States. Waymo explained that the new name is intended to be more recognizable and user-friendly for American customers. The name Ojai refers to a small city in California, associated with a relaxed lifestyle, creativity, and comfort—values that the company aims to convey through its product.

The Ojai is a fully electric minivan developed by Zeekr, a brand owned by the Chinese automaker Geely. Waymo has adapted the vehicle for its autonomous driving system, integrating proprietary lidar, radar, cameras, and computing hardware. The model was designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing services and does not support manual driver control.

The partnership between Waymo and Zeekr was announced earlier as part of the company’s strategy to scale its autonomous fleet. Unlike previous models based on production Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, the new minivan was designed from the ground up for robotaxi operations, featuring increased interior space, simplified passenger boarding, and optimization for commercial use.

Source: Techcrunch