Waymo's latest Ojai robotaxi appears to be designed for the future, and it also features an enhanced brain.

      Waymo

      Waymo’s new robotaxi, the Ojai, stands out in traffic rather than blending in. It appears as if it jumped ahead in time, arriving from the future without checking if the rest of us were prepared.

      This isn’t merely a minor upgrade to Waymo’s current fleet, but rather a complete reimagining — a reevaluation of the ride experience when there’s no human driver present at all. After months of internal testing, Waymo is set to welcome early public riders in the coming weeks.

      A robotaxi that resembles a lounge

      Upon entering the Ojai, the first thing that captures your attention isn’t the technology, but the space. The entryway is remarkably open, due to a low step-in height and a flat floor. The doors open in a manner reminiscent of stepping into an elevator, which is a suitable analogy since the interior doesn’t resemble a conventional car whatsoever.

      Instead, it is more akin to a moving lounge. Three large screens dominate the inside, allowing passengers to adjust everything from music to cabin temperature. This setup elevates a standard Uber ride to feel like a basic taxi in comparison. Waymo clearly intends for passengers to think of this as less about “getting from point A to point B” and more about “your time, your space, your preferences.”

      A future ride already planning its next cities

      Beneath its design-centric exterior, the Ojai is also Waymo’s most accessibility-focused vehicle to date. There are subtle yet significant features throughout — braille markings, screen-reader assistance, and seat-integrated handles that enable passengers to enter and exit with greater ease. The intelligence behind all this comes from the sixth generation of Waymo’s autonomous driving system. It builds on over 20 million fully autonomous trips completed in major US cities but is now engineered to manage more challenging environments and expand more rapidly. Consider scenarios with snow, denser deployment, and a greater number of robotaxis launching from Waymo’s production hub in Arizona.

      Currently, the Ojai is starting on a small scale. Initial riders in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles will be the first to access it, with complimentary trips provided as Waymo collects feedback. However, the broader strategy is clear — expansion into cities like Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego is already planned, with a more extensive public rollout anticipated later in the year. Waymo is quietly experimenting with what happens when autonomous rides begin to integrate into the urban infrastructure. If the Ojai is any indication, that future may arrive sooner — and be much more comfortable — than anticipated.

      Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends, bringing over five years of experience in the technology sector.

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