Waymo Plans Major Expansion of Robotaxi Fleet
Waymo is reportedly set to significantly expand its robotaxi fleet, aiming to increase the number of vehicles to 20,000 by the end of next year. This ambitious plan appears to be a key part of the Alphabet-owned company’s efforts to grow its presence across the country.
The self-driving car company intends to double its fleet from about 4,000 to 8,000 cars by the end of this year, as noted by Semafor. It’s quite a leap, right? But that’s what they’re shooting for.
By next year, they hope to reach the 20,000 mark.
To finance this expansion, Waymo plans to utilize a $5 billion loan announced on its website earlier this month. This funding is expected to drive the growth of their fully autonomous ride-hailing service both in the U.S. and internationally.
A spokesperson for Waymo chose not to comment further on the details.
As previously reported, Waymo’s ambitious plans rely in part on the introduction of powder-blue “Ojai” vans, which are a rebranded version of vehicles produced by Zeekr, a subsidiary of the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated Geely Holding Group. It’s interesting how these partnerships form, isn’t it?
The company imports the vehicle “shells” from China and then outfits them with their own self-driving technology at a facility in Arizona.
Waymo anticipates importing around 5,100 Ojai vehicles by the end of the year, which would more than double their current fleet, primarily consisting of Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, according to data from MoffittNathanson.
The Ojais are already active on the streets of several cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to more locations before year-end.
This collaboration with Zeekr has raised concerns in Washington, with lawmakers and safety advocates suggesting that it could pose threats to the U.S. auto industry and even present national security risks.
Current regulations from the Commerce Department prohibit the importation or sale of any “connected vehicles” or self-driving software manufactured in China or Russia for the model year 2027 and have plans for similar restrictions on hardware for 2030. This could complicate things down the road.
There are ongoing efforts to formalize these bans in Congress.
Waymo has expressed its support for both the Commerce Department’s regulations and the forthcoming legislation, affirming their commitment to following government rules concerning connected vehicles.
In addition, Waymo is testing robotaxis made by Hyundai as part of a long-term partnership, with intentions to integrate those vehicles into their fleet in the near future.
