Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous driving unit, said it will begin invite-only free rides in its new Ojai robotaxi in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix,.

The four-seat electric minivan was developed with Zeekr, Geely Automobile Holdings’ electric vehicle brand, and designed in Sweden.

It is built on an electric skateboard platform imported from China without self-driving or connectivity technology.

Waymo then integrates its autonomous driving system during final assembly at a Mesa, Arizona, factory alongside Magna International.

The move expands Waymo’s fleet in cities where it already operates a fully autonomous public ride-hailing service, rather than marking its first launch in those markets.

It also comes as a rule from the US Commerce Department that took effect on March 17, 2025, prohibits the import and sale of certain connected vehicles and key vehicle connectivity or automated driving systems tied to China or Russia.

China-built electric vehicles also face a 100% additional tariff in the US, introduced in 2024, adding cost pressure to imported vehicles used for robotaxi fleets.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

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