Waymo renames its robotaxi Zeekr

Waymo has spent the past three years refining and testing a minivan-like vehicle made by Chinese automaker Zeekr. And now, before this robotaxi joins Waymo’s official commercial fleet, it’s getting a new name, the company told TechCrunch.

The Zeekr RT robotaxi will now be called Ojai (pronounced “oh-hi”) – named after the village in the Topatopa Mountains above Los Angeles, known for its arts community and focus on wellness.

Waymo’s official explanation, according to spokesperson Chris Bonelli, is that the company has determined that the American public is unfamiliar with the Zeekr brand. This brand image can even carry over into the pilot experience. Apparently, when customers eventually get into the Ojai, the robotaxi greets them with an “Oh hi” and their name. Cute.

Of course, in the United States, it wouldn’t hurt to drop the name of a Chinese automaker either.

For those unfamiliar, Waymo First established a partnership with Zeekr, owned by Geely Holding Group, in 2021. Waymo presented a specially designed robotaxi concept the following year at a spectacular event in Los Angeles. THE prototype was based on a version of Zeekr’s SEA-M architecture designed for “future mobility products” like robo-taxis and logistics vehicles.

Notably, the prototype did not have a steering wheel. But the one in Ojai, which was presented at CES 2026, does.

The Zeekr RT (now Ojai) has seen some tweaks over the years as it was developed and tested in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. Last year at CES, Waymo gave the robotaxi the now-retired name ZeekrRT and showed off some of its hardware, including 13 cameras, four lidars, six radars, a set of external audio receivers, and the smallest sensor wipers you’ve ever seen.

This hardware suite is the same. But the paint color was changed, according to the company. Waymo told TechCrunch that the paint color, which had a bluish tint, is now more silver.

All of these final adjustments took place before Ojai’s imminent launch into commercial service. Waymo employees, along with their family and friends, can now hail the Zeekr van in San Francisco and Phoenix – usually one of the last stops before it is made available to the public.

Waymo is in the midst of rapid expansion. The company, which offers commercial robotaxi service in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco, plans to launch in a dozen additional cities over the next year. These cities include Denver, Las Vegas and London.