Latest news with #ChrisBonelli
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Waymo, Magna to jointly build robotaxis at new Arizona factory
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. Autonomous driving technology developer Waymo is partnering with Tier 1 automotive supplier Magna International to jointly build robotaxis at a new 239,000-square-foot facility in the Metro Phoenix area, the company announced in a May 5 blog post. The factory is a multi-million dollar investment and will create hundreds of jobs in Mesa, Arizona, that support Waymo's plans to scale its commercial Waymo One autonomous ride-hailing service to additional U.S. cities. Through next year, the two companies aim to outfit 2,000 additional Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs with the 'Waymo Driver' autonomous driving technology stack in Arizona for use in Waymo's ride-hailing service. But the facility will be capable of building 'tens of thousands' of robotaxis a year once fully operational, according to the release. Waymo said its Waymo One autonomous ride-hailing service has grown significantly over the past several years, creating demand for additional vehicles equipped with autonomous driving technology in order to scale the commercial mobility service to additional U.S. cities. Waymo operates roughly 1,500 vehicles across Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area and currently provides over 250,000 paid trips per week in its driverless robotaxis, according to the release. The next planned launch cities for Waymo One include Atlanta, Miami and Washington, D.C. The new Arizona facility will allow Waymo and Magna to install AV hardware on multiple vehicle platforms simultaneously — and at higher volumes. Among the equipment being installed at the plant is an automated assembly line. In an email to Automotive Dive, Waymo Product Communications Manager Chris Bonelli said the company has a contract manufacturing partnership with Magna, which leases the building. The robotaxi build process includes sub-assembly of the Waymo Driver components and general assembly to integrate them into the Jaguar I-PACE SUVs, according to Bonelli. Once installed, Waymo drives the vehicles manually to validate the hardware and software before commissioning it for use by Waymo One. 'We have a series of hardware and software checks in place to be sure all components are working as intended,' Bonelli said. In the blog, Waymo said it has implemented new processes at the Arizona facility that significantly reduce the time and cost required to certify its autonomous vehicles to carry riders. Vehicles assigned to Waymo's Phoenix fleet can drive autonomously out of the facility and directly into service in less than 30 minutes after leaving the factory. For Waymo One vehicles destined for ride-hailing service in other cities, they can be deployed within hours after being shipped to a local depot, according to Waymo. 'The Waymo Driver integration plant in Mesa is the epicenter of our future growth plans,' said Ryan McNamara, Waymo VP of operations, in the release. 'With our partners at Magna, we've opened a manufacturing site that enables the cost efficiency, flexibility, and capacity to scale our fleet to new heights.' Waymo uses a fleet of modified Jaguar I-PACE vehicles for its Waymo One ride-hailing service, but the company plans to add Zeekr RT passenger vans from China-based electric vehicle brand Zeekr. The EV will also be outfitted with the Waymo Driver in Arizona. Zeekr is majority owned by automaker Geely, one of China's biggest OEMs and the parent company of Volvo Cars. Although tariffs on imported vehicles could impact the cost of the Zeekr RT, Bonelli said Waymo is 'monitoring the dynamic tariff situation closely' and will continue to test the EV on public roads as planned. Waymo's collaboration with Magna follows a similar partnership announced on April 30 with Toyota Motor Corp. Waymo and Toyota plan to collaborate on the development of an autonomous vehicle platform and explore ways to integrate Waymo's technology into personally owned Toyota vehicles. Recommended Reading Toyota, Waymo to collaborate on autonomous driving platform Sign in to access your portfolio
The Verge
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
Waymo says it will add 2,000 more robotaxis into 2026
Waymo said it recently received its last delivery of Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, which will be retrofitted with sensors and autonomous driving technology at its factory in Arizona, before joining its robotaxi fleet. In a blog post published today, the Alphabet company said it currently has 1,500 Jaguars operating across its four main markets: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. And it plans on adding 2,000 more vehicles into 2026, for a total fleet size of 3,500. The company recently hit an average of 250,000 paid passenger trips per week. Waymo typically doesn't like to comment on the size of its fleet, so today's announcement provides a rare glimpse into the number of robotaxis the company currently has in operation. Waymo's plans to scale up comes as the company eyes Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC for launch in 2026. The Jaguar I-Pace has been the company's primary vehicle since Waymo retired its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans in 2023. The company had once projected it would have 20,000 I-Paces operating as robotaxis, but appears to have fallen significantly short of that goal. Waymo is also currently testing and validating two new models, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the all-electric Zeekr RT minivan, but has yet to say when they will join the fleet. Waymo assembles its robotaxis with the help of auto engineering company Magna International at a 239,000 square-foot factory in Mesa, Arizona. The company's final batch of Jaguar I-Paces will be assembled there, which should carry Waymo through to next year. And starting in 2026, Waymo will begin work on its sixth generation 'Waymo Driver,' which will launch in the Zeekr RT. Zeekr is a subsidiary of Geely, which is one of China's largest automakers. The new robotaxi is being designed in Sweden (where Geely owns Swedish carmaker Volvo), adapted from Geely's all-electric five-door Zeekr. Waymo is then importing the vehicles to Arizona, where they will be outfitted with the hardware and software necessary for autonomous driving. The first test vehicles began arriving in the US last year. In order to adapt to multiple vehicle platforms, Waymo says its Mesa factory will add automated assembly lines and 'other efficiencies' over time. And when it's operating at full capacity, the company expects it will be able to churn out 'tens of thousands' of robotaxis each year. Waymo added new processes at the end of the assembly line for passenger validation and commission to ensure each vehicle is ready to accept riders as soon as it leaves the factory. Each vehicle drives itself into service after leaving the factory, where it is ready for passenger pickups within 30 minutes, according to Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli. Waymo's interest in publicizing its plans to grow its fleet size comes as Tesla plans to launch its own robotaxi service in Texas and California later this year. And it aligns with the Alphabet company's recent announcement of a partnership with Toyota to explore the possibilities of selling autonomous vehicles to customers for personal ownership.
The Verge
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
Waymo says it will add 2,000 more robotaxis in 2026
Waymo said it recently received its last delivery of Jaguar I-Pace SUVs, which will be retrofitted with sensors and autonomous driving technology at its factory in Arizona, before joining its robotaxi fleet. In a blog post published today, the Alphabet company said it currently has 1,500 Jaguars operating across its four main markets: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. And it plans on adding 2,000 more in 2026, for a total fleet size of 3,500. The company recently hit an average of 250,000 paid passenger trips per week. Waymo typically doesn't like to comment on the size of its fleet, so today's announcement provides a rare glimpse into the number of robotaxis the company currently has in operation. Waymo's plans to scale up comes as the company eyes Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC for launch in 2026. The Jaguar I-Pace has been the company's primary vehicle since Waymo retired its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans in 2023. The company had once projected it would have 20,000 I-Paces operating as robotaxis, but appears to have fallen significantly short of that goal. Waymo is also currently testing and validating two new models, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the all-electric Zeekr RT minivan, but has yet to say when they will join the fleet. Waymo assembles its robotaxis with the help of auto engineering company Magna International at a 239,000 square-foot factory in Mesa, Arizona. The company's final batch of Jaguar I-Paces will be assembled there, which should carry Waymo through to next year. And starting in 2026, Waymo will begin work on its sixth generation 'Waymo Driver,' which will launch in the Zeekr RT. Zeekr is a subsidiary of Geely, which is one of China's largest automakers. The new robotaxi is being designed in Sweden (where Geely owns Swedish carmaker Volvo), adapted from Geely's all-electric five-door Zeekr. Waymo is then importing the vehicles to Arizona, where they will be outfitted with the hardware and software necessary for autonomous driving. The first test vehicles began arriving in the US last year. In order to adapt to multiple vehicle platforms, Waymo says its Mesa factory will add automated assembly lines and 'other efficiencies' over time. And when it's operating at full capacity, the company expects it will be able to churn out 'tens of thousands' of robotaxis each year. Waymo added new processes at the end of the assembly line for passenger validation and commission to ensure each vehicle is ready to accept riders as soon as it leaves the factory. Each vehicle drives itself into service after leaving the factory, where it is ready for passenger pickups within 30 minutes, according to Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli. Waymo's interest in publicizing its plans to grow its fleet size comes as Tesla plans to launch its own robotaxi service in Texas and California later this year. And it aligns with the Alphabet company's recent announcement of a partnership with Toyota to explore the possibilities of selling autonomous vehicles to customers for personal ownership.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Waymo reveals the road beyond robotaxis
Waymo's business has so far focused heavily on autonomous rideshare services. The company also wants to apply its autonomous driving technology to personally owned cars. Waymo said on Thursday that it's in early talks with Toyota to do just that. Waymo put out a reminder that it doesn't just want to be another ride-share competitor. The Alphabet-owned company announced Thursday that it's in early-stage talks with Toyota Motor Corporation to explore bringing its autonomous driving technology to personally-owned vehicles. The statement said that Toyota could also provide its vehicles to add to Waymo's robotaxi fleet. "In parallel, the companies will explore how to leverage Waymo's autonomous technology and Toyota's vehicle expertise to enhance next-generation personally owned vehicles (POVs)," Waymo and Toyota said in a joint press release. "The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions." Waymo said in the announcement that it's building a "generalizable" autonomous driver that can be applied to different "vehicle platforms and businesses over time." Developing a generalized autonomous driver is similar to the approach of companies like Tesla or Wayve. It refers to an autonomous driving system that can work in different environments and vehicles regardless of whether the system has been familiarized with a particular region. "For example, when we first start driving in a new city, the same software that is active in other markets will allow the vehicle to drive well in a new environment," Chris Bonelli, a Waymo spokesperson, told Business Insider. Currently, Waymo maps out a city or region before it deploys a robotaxi service to the public in that area. That's why Waymo's autonomous driver isn't often referred to as generalized AI. Waymo has been heavily focused on expanding its robotaxi operations. The company said it now offers more than 250,000 rides weekly throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. It's also planning to expand its service to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC. Part of its scaling strategy includes partnering with rideshare platforms like Uber. In Phoenix, customers can order a Waymo on the Uber app. In Austin, Uber also oversees the maintenance of the Waymo robotaxi fleet. Tesla has also said it will launch a pilot robotaxi service in Austin in June. CEO Elon Musk said in the latest earnings call that Tesla is better positioned to scale a robotaxi service because its cars and autonomous driving technology are cheaper to develop and quicker to deploy. However, he has missed deadlines to deliver on those promises several times. In 2019, Musk said Tesla could bring one million robotaxis on the road by the next year. The Toyota collaboration is a reminder that Waymo is thinking about how to leverage its autonomous driving technology to expand into other lines of business, like being a software and hardware provider to OEMs that sell personal cars. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said during Thursday's earnings call that there is "future optionality around personal ownership as well. " Cofounder and former Waymo CEO John Krafcik told Business Insider in March that anyone who doesn't know if Waymo wants to be more than just a rideshare competitor "hasn't been paying attention." "Waymo has been clear on all of these business lines as applications for the Waymo Driver," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Insider
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Business Insider
Waymo reveals the road beyond robotaxis
Waymo put out a reminder that it doesn't just want to be another ride-share competitor. The Alphabet-owned company announced Thursday that it's in early-stage talks with Toyota Motor Corporation to explore bringing its autonomous driving technology to personally-owned vehicles. The statement said that Toyota could also provide its vehicles to add to Waymo's robotaxi fleet. "In parallel, the companies will explore how to leverage Waymo's autonomous technology and Toyota's vehicle expertise to enhance next-generation personally owned vehicles (POVs)," Waymo and Toyota said in a joint press release. "The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions." Waymo said in the announcement that it's building a "generalizable" autonomous driver that can be applied to different "vehicle platforms and businesses over time." Developing a generalized autonomous driver is similar to the approach of companies like Tesla or Wayve. It refers to an autonomous driving system that can work in different environments and vehicles regardless of whether the system has been familiarized with a particular region. "For example, when we first start driving in a new city, the same software that is active in other markets will allow the vehicle to drive well in a new environment," Chris Bonelli, a Waymo spokesperson, told Business Insider. Currently, Waymo maps out a city or region before it deploys a robotaxi service to the public in that area. That's why Waymo's autonomous driver isn't often referred to as generalized AI. Waymo has been heavily focused on expanding its robotaxi operations. The company said it now offers more than 250,000 rides weekly throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. It's also planning to expand its service to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC. Part of its scaling strategy includes partnering with rideshare platforms like Uber. In Phoenix, customers can order a Waymo on the Uber app. In Austin, Uber also oversees the maintenance of the Waymo robotaxi fleet. Tesla has also said it will launch a pilot robotaxi service in Austin in June. CEO Elon Musk said in the latest earnings call that Tesla is better positioned to scale a robotaxi service because its cars and autonomous driving technology are cheaper to develop and quicker to deploy. However, he has missed deadlines to deliver on those promises several times. In 2019, Musk said Tesla could bring one million robotaxis on the road by the next year. The Toyota collaboration is a reminder that Waymo is thinking about how to leverage its autonomous driving technology to expand into other lines of business, like being a software and hardware provider to OEMs that sell personal cars. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said during Thursday's earnings call that there is "future optionality around personal ownership as well. " Cofounder and former Waymo CEO John Krafcik told Business Insider in March that anyone who doesn't know if Waymo wants to be more than just a rideshare competitor "hasn't been paying attention." "Waymo has been clear on all of these business lines as applications for the Waymo Driver," he said.
