Waymo is rebranding the Zeekr robotaxi

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

Zeekr RT’s Robotaxi will now be named Ojai (pronounced “oh-hi”) – after a village in the Topatopa Mountains above Los Angeles known for its artistic community and focus on well-being.

Waymo’s official explanation, per spokesman Chris Bonelli, is that the company determined that the US public is unfamiliar with the Zeekr brand. The branding may bring the rider experience. Apparently, when the customer finally pulls into Ojai, the robotaxi will greet them with “Oh hi” and their name. cute.

Of course, in the US it might not tarnish the name of the Chinese automaker.

For those who don’t know, Waymo first struck partnership with Geely Holding Group-owned Zeekr in 2021. Waymo showed off its purpose-built robotaxi concept next year at an exciting event in Los Angeles. At prototype based on a version of Zeekr’s SEA-M architecture designed for “future mobility products” like robotaxis and logistics vehicles.

Notably, the prototype has no steering wheel. But the Ojai one, which was shown at CES 2026, was not.

Zeekr RT (now Ojai) has seen many changes over the years as it has undergone development and testing in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco. Last year at CES, Waymo named its now-retired robotaxi Remember RT and showcased some of its hardware, including 13 cameras, four lidars, six radars, an array of external audio receivers, and the smallest wiper sensor you’ve ever seen.

The hardware suite is the same. But the paint color has been tweaked, according to the company. Waymo told TechCrunch the paint color, which used to be blue, is now more silver.

All of these final tweaks have taken place before Ojai was launched into commercial service. Waymo employees, and their families and friends, can now hail the Zeekr van in San Francisco and Phoenix — typically one of the last steps before it becomes available to the public.

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