Automotive Industry
Waymo to Double the Size of its Autonomous Vehicle Fleet
Waymo is partnering with Magna International to retrofit Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs with self-driving technology.
Autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo plans to more than double its fleet of robotaxis over the next year. Photo courtesy Waymo
MESA, AZ—Autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo plans to more than double its fleet of robotaxis over the next year.
Waymo provides more than 250,000 trips each week across four markets: Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, TX. Next year, the company plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami and Washington, D.C., in 2026.
Waymo currently has approximately 1,500 robotaxis, but the company wants to produce an additional 2,000 vehicles within the next year.
To do that, Waymo is partnering with automotive supplier Magna International, which recently completed a new assembly plant in Mesa. There, Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs will be retrofitted with Waymo’s self-driving technology. Once the system has been validated, the Waymo robotaxi will be able to pick up passengers within 30 minutes of leaving the factory.
At full capacity, the 239,000-square-foot facility will be able to produce tens of thousands of vehicles per year.
“The Waymo Driver integration plant in Mesa is the epicenter of our future growth plans,” Ryan McNamara, vice president of operations for Waymo, said in a statement. “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.”Looking for quick answers on assembly and manufacturing topics? Try Ask ASM, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ASM
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