[AutonomousVehicles] Waymo 2026 CES Announcements

[Cornelius Butler]

Hi Everyone,
I had Gemini 3 Pro Summarize Waymo's CES 2026 announcements. Answers are
below with direct links.

Yes, Waymo had a significant presence at CES 2026. While they did not
announce a "pivot" or a brand-new strategy, they used the event to solidify
their hardware roadmap and confirm major expansion milestones for the year.

Here are the key Waymo announcements from CES 2026:

1. Official Vehicle Branding: "Waymo Ojai"
The Announcement: Waymo officially branded its custom-built robotaxi
(previously known as the Zeekr RT) as the Waymo Ojai. The name is a nod to
Ojai, California.

The Vehicle: The Ojai is a purpose-built autonomous vehicle designed
without a traditional driver's seat in mind (though some models retain
controls for testing). It features sliding doors, a flat floor, and a
"living room" style interior.

Tech Specs: It is powered by the 6th-generation Waymo Driver, which
includes a sensor suite of 13 cameras, 6 radar units, and 4 LiDAR sensors,
plus advanced weather-cleaning systems (mini wipers and fluid sprayers) to
handle rain and fog.

2. Hyundai IONIQ 5 Integration Showcase
The Announcement: Waymo displayed the Hyundai IONIQ 5 equipped with the
Waymo Driver, confirming it as a key part of their "next wave" fleet
alongside the Ojai.

Context: This follows the strategic partnership announced in late
2024/early 2025. The IONIQ 5s are intended to help Waymo scale
manufacturing faster than they could with the Jaguar I-PACE alone.

3. Confirmed 2026 Expansion Markets
Miami Launch: Reports from the show floor and press materials confirmed
that Miami is the next immediate launch city, with fully autonomous
operations potentially starting as early as late January 2026.

New Cities: Waymo reiterated its aggressive 2026 roadmap, confirming plans
to launch fully autonomous rides in Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando later
this year.

International: The booth featured "World Tour" theming (including UK
license plates and Japanese street signs), signaling their upcoming testing
and eventual launch in London and Tokyo.

4. Interactive "World Tour" Booth
Presence: Located in the West Hall (Booth 4600), Waymo's booth focused on
"normalizing" the technology. It featured interactive displays showing the
car's "brain" making real-time decisions during winter testing and
difficult traffic scenarios, countering the "vaporware" criticism leveled
at some competitors at the show.


Summary: Unlike the "concept" reveals from other companies at CES 2026,
Waymo's announcements focused on scaling and production. The reveal of the
"Ojai" branding signals they are ready to move from retrofitted cars (like
the Jaguar I-PACE) to a mass-produced, custom-form-factor vehicle.

Direct Links:
Here is the detailed list of Waymo's announcements and presence at CES
2026, including the requested direct, full URLs.

1. Official Vehicle Naming: "Waymo Ojai"
Summary: Waymo officially announced that its purpose-built robotaxi
(manufactured by Zeekr) will be named the Waymo Ojai (pronounced
"Oh-high"). The company stated the name was chosen to evoke the calm and
wellness associated with Ojai, California, and to give the vehicle a
friendlier, distinct US identity separate from its Chinese manufacturer.
The Ojai features the 6th-generation Waymo Driver system, including 13
cameras, 6 radar units, and 4 LiDAR sensors, with specific weather-proofing
features like mini-wipers and fluid sprayers for sensors.

Direct Links:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a69938250/waymo-ojai-autonomous-robotaxi-details/

https://autonomycentral.net/waymo-at-ces/

https://insideevs.com/news/783573/waymo-zeekr-ojai-van/

2. 2026 Expansion Roadmap: Miami & International Testing
Summary: Waymo used CES to confirm its immediate expansion plans for 2026.
The company highlighted Miami as its next launch market, with fully
autonomous operations expected to begin as early as late January 2026. The
roadmap also confirmed upcoming launches in Houston, San Antonio, and
Orlando. Additionally, Waymo showcased international ambitions with "World
Tour" theming in their booth, including UK license plates and Japanese
street signs, signaling confirmed testing plans for London and Tokyo later
in the year.

Direct Links:

https://autonomycentral.net/waymo-at-ces/

https://evdances.com/blogs/news/waymo-introduces-the-ojai-robotaxi-as-fleet-expansion-accelerates

3. Fleet Strategy: Hyundai IONIQ 5 Integration
Summary: Waymo displayed a Hyundai IONIQ 5 equipped with the 6th-generation
Waymo Driver at their booth, publicly cementing it as the second pillar of
their "next wave" fleet alongside the Ojai. This display served as visual
confirmation that Waymo is moving toward a mixed-fleet model to solve
manufacturing bottlenecks, using the mass-produced Hyundai platforms to
scale faster while the custom Ojai vehicles ramp up production.

Direct Links:

https://autonomycentral.net/waymo-at-ces/

https://insideevs.com/news/784109/hyundai-motional-las-vegas-launch-2026/
(Note: This article primarily discusses Hyundai's own Motional venture but
confirms the Waymo Ioniq 5 presence at the show).

4. "World Tour" Booth Experience
Summary: Waymo's booth (West Hall #4600) was themed as a "World Tour" to
combat the industry's "vaporware" reputation. Instead of future concepts,
the booth featured interactive displays of the Waymo Driver's real-time
logic during winter weather testing and complex urban scenarios. The
exhibit was designed to "normalize" the technology for a mainstream
audience rather than just tech insiders.
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