[AutonomousVehicles] Waymo buys facility in Arizona to test autonomous vehicles

[Cornelius Butler]

HI Everyone,
Waymo has purchased a massive facility in Arizona from Apple that will be
used to test autonomous vehicles. Here is a Gemini Answer about it.

Yes, Alphabet’s *Waymo has officially purchased a massive autonomous
vehicle testing facility from Apple* for *$220 million*. The deal was
executed through Route 14 Investment Partners LLC (a Delaware-based shell
company tied to Apple) and officially recorded in Maricopa County, Arizona,
on June 5, 2026.
Comprehensive Summary of the Deal

   -

   *The Property:* Waymo acquired a sprawling, 5,500-acre proving ground
   located in *Wittmann, Arizona* (roughly 60 miles northwest of Phoenix).
   -

   *State-of-the-Art Infrastructure:* The massive site is custom-built for
   high-speed, all-weather, and complex scenario testing. It features a
   115-acre replicated "city course" simulating dense urban environments, a
   35-acre vehicle dynamics testing zone, a 4-mile high-speed oval circuit,
   and a dedicated closed-loop freeway course.
   -

   *Historical Context:* This facility was previously the center of Apple's
   secretive, multi-billion-dollar autonomous electric vehicle
initiative, *Project
   Titan*. Apple originally leased the facility from Fiat Chrysler before
   buying it outright for $125 million in 2021. After Apple officially
   abandoned its vehicle program in early 2024, the property sat underutilized
   until this sale.
   -

   *Waymo's Expansion Strategy:* The Wittmann site is now the largest
   closed-course facility in Waymo's network, joining its existing testing
   tracks in California and Ohio. Waymo intends to use the property for
   "rider-only" software validation, motion-control calibration, and
   operational training. Its close proximity to Waymo's 239,000-square-foot
   assembly factory in Mesa, Arizona, will allow the company to quickly test
   and deploy its next-generation vehicles, including the Zeekr-built "Ojai"
   robotaxi and the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 fleet.

News Coverage Articles

Below are the full URLs for the leading media coverage of the acquisition:

   -

   *Electrek:*
   https://electrek.co/2026/06/09/waymo-buys-apple-project-titan-proving-ground-220-million/
   -

   *Gizmodo:*
   https://gizmodo.com/the-apple-car-is-dead-and-waymo-just-bought-its-gravesite-2000769695
   -

   *Seeking Alpha:*
   https://seekingalpha.com/news/4601650-waymo-buys-apples-self-driving-car-proving-ground-for-220m
   -

   *AI Business:*
   https://aibusiness.com/generative-ai/waymo-pays-220m-apple-s-abandoned-self-driving-car-test-ground

YouTube News Coverage

Below is the full URL to video coverage discussing the transaction
alongside the week's major tech stories:
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