Waymo is rebranding its Zeekr robotaxi

San Francisco: Waymo has been working on a new robotaxi for three years. This robotaxi is made by the Chinese company Zeekr. Now, before it joins Waymo’s fleet, it will get a new name. The new name is Ojai, which sounds like “oh-hi.” Ojai is named after a small village in the mountains near Los Angeles known for its focus on arts and wellness.

Waymo’s spokesperson, Chris Bonelli, explained that many people in the U.S. do not know the Zeekr name. They also want to make the ride special. When customers get into the Ojai, the robotaxi will greet them with an “Oh hi” and their name. This is a fun and friendly touch.

Waymo started working with Zeekr in 2021. They showed off a cool design of the robotaxi at an event in Los Angeles the next year. The earlier prototype did not have a steering wheel, but the Ojai that was revealed at CES 2026 does have one.

Over the years, the Ojai robotaxi has been improved through testing in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. Last year, Waymo announced the name Zeekr RT for this robotaxi and showed off its advanced features. The Ojai has 13 cameras, four lidar sensors, six radar sensors, and small wipers for sensors.

The design has been adjusted too. Waymo changed the color from a bluish tint to a more silver shade. These changes are happening before the Ojai is ready for commercial service. Now, Waymo employees and their families can use the Ojai in San Francisco and Phoenix. This is usually the last step before the robotaxi is available to everyone.

Waymo is also growing quickly. They already offer robotaxi service in cities like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Soon, they plan to start services in twelve more cities, including Denver, Las Vegas, and even London.