You can now ride a Chinese EV in the US as Waymo opens Zeekr Ojai to all

Autonomous vehicle pioneer Waymo has officially opened its next-generation Ojai robotaxi service to all riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. This expansion allows the general public to experience the company's latest iteration of autonomous public transportation.

What makes the Ojai particularly noteworthy is its origin: the vehicle is built in China by automaker Zeekr. This integration places a Chinese-manufactured electric vehicle squarely onto American public streets, marking a fascinating crossover in the global automotive landscape.

Currently, American consumers still cannot legally purchase Chinese-made electric vehicles for personal ownership due to various market barriers and regulations. As a result, riding in a Waymo Ojai serves as one of the very few ways for an American to experience a Chinese EV firsthand.

This development highlights the complex, interconnected nature of the modern tech and automotive supply chains. Even amidst geopolitical and trade tensions, American autonomous driving software developers are successfully leveraging advanced Chinese hardware manufacturing to scale their operations.

For the global tech audience, this milestone underscores how cross-border collaboration continues to shape the future of urban mobility. By combining sophisticated American autonomous driving systems with efficient Chinese vehicle engineering, the industry is paving the way for next-generation transportation networks.