Waymo Says Its Next-Gen Ojai Robotaxis Are Ready For Prime Time You'll soon be able to hitch a ride in the high-tech Zeekr vans, which Waymo is using to expand its robotaxi fleet. - Waymo's new Ojai robotaxis will soon be available for public rides in three U.S. cities. - The vans are made by Chinese carmaker Zeekr and retrofitted with Waymo's proprietary hardware and software. - The company says they will more accessible, roomier, and more high-tech. Waymo announced Thursday that it is officially introducing its next-generation Ojai robotaxi to the public. The large, light blue electric vans will launch soon in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix as part of a free initial program before paid rides begin. While the current Jaguar I-Pace crossovers will continue to be in service, the Ojai should offer an improved ride experience and better performance in tricky weather, according to the company. Waymo said the Ojai has a low step and a flat floor, with elevator-style sliding doors for easy ingress and egress. It also has a roomy cabin with large windows enabling expansive outside views. Gallery: Waymo Zeekr Robotaxi It will have three screens inside, one at the front and two at the back allowing riders to customize things like climate and audio. They will also be more accessible, with embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility integrated into the seat handles. The race to deploy autonomous ride-hail vehicles is heating up in the U.S., with several players such as Zoox, Tesla, and Uber gearing up to grow their robotaxi footprint. Waymo’s expansion has been the most successful so far, with its robotaxis now operational in 11 U.S. cities with over half a million paid weekly rides. It plans to expand to 20 more cities in the coming months. However, Waymo’s aggressive expansion