'Ojai': Driverless Waymo robotaxis descend on Seattle
SEATTLE - A new, autonomous vehicle has been spotted around the Seattle area — and identified as one of Waymo's newest fleet members.
"Ojai," which has been described by Waymo as a car that feels like "an oasis on wheels," is being tested around the city.
Keep reading to learn more about this robotaxi, and when it will be operating in Seattle.
Ojai spotted on the streets of Seattle, Bellevue
In a photo taken by FOX 13 Seattle on August 6, the new Waymo was seen turning a corner on Bellevue's Northup Way.
The boxy, baby-blue vehicle was also spotted recently in a Ballard Fred Meyer parking lot, according to GeekWire.
(Annabelle Pepin, FOX 13 Seattle)
What kinds of features does the Ojai have?
What we know:
The vehicle, pronounced oh-hi, has "elevator-like" doors that open into an expansive cabin. The vehicle is said to also have accessibility integration like embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility, along with a seat-integrated handle for extra support.
According to Waymo, Ojai is the first autonomous vehicle to introduce the 6th-generation Waymo Driver, which works more swiftly and accurately in harsher weather conditions, a feature that may come in handy for our Washington state rain.
According to a May announcement, Ojai vehicles were initially rolled out to Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and Waymo plans to expand to new cities like Denver, Las Vegas and San Diego.
What we don't know:
It is unclear when the Ojai vehicles will officially begin operating in Seattle.
The Source: Information for this story came from Waymo and GeekWire.
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