Waymo's Ojai robotaxi vans now open to all riders in three cities
Waymo has fully launched its purpose-built Ojai robotaxi vans for all passengers in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, marking its second service expansion announced in a week.
Waymo announced that its Ojai model robotaxi vans are now available to any rider in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, moving beyond the limited pickups the company had offered in those same three cities earlier this year.
In a social media post, the Google-owned company highlighted the vehicle's spacious interior and backseat entertainment features as selling points for the purpose-built driverless van.
Second expansion in a week
This full rollout of the Ojai vans is the second expansion Waymo has announced within the past week. Just days earlier, the company revealed it had received permission to bring its driverless cars to the streets of Sacramento and San Diego.
Notably, despite the van's name, Waymo service is not yet available in the actual city of Ojai, California, that inspired the model's naming.
Recent freeway troubles
The expansion news comes after a rockier stretch for the company. Waymo introduced freeway rides on select routes in some cities back in November, but was forced to suspend highway service in May and recall vehicles after some cars entered closed construction zones. Freeway access for its robotaxis was only restored in July.
