Although Waymo has been broadening its commercial robotaxi footprint across the country, close examination of fleet distribution data shows that the vast majority of its autonomous vehicles remain clustered in California and Texas.
Waymo’s Texas Presence Expands Rapidly
Currently, Waymo provides robotaxi service in 15 U.S. cities, but the sharpest fleet growth lately has taken place in Texas. Data from the Texas Autonomous Vehicle Fleet Tracker shows that the count of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles in Texas surged to 1,102 as of September 24, marking an impressive 49% expansion of the Texas fleet within three weeks. This notable increase corresponds with the large-scale launch of a new minivan called the Zeekr RT, which Waymo markets as the “Ojai.”
It was only in March 2025 that Waymo rolled out its Texas commercial service, entering Austin through an Uber partnership that permitted ride-hailing via the Uber app. Subsequent months have seen Waymo roll out robotaxi offerings in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Between June and late August, the Texas fleet only inched forward — climbing from roughly 600 vehicles to a little over 700. The significant jump came in September after the Ojai minivans debuted in bulk, and these vehicles now comprise nearly a third of Waymo’s Texas operations.
Most Robotaxis Still Deployed in California and Texas
While Waymo has dramatically scaled beyond its original trio of markets — Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco — increasing that count to 15 cities as of September 2024, the company still focuses most of its resources on two states. Of the estimated 4,000 robotaxis Waymo has operating nationally, around 80% are deployed in either California or Texas. By comparison, just around 800 vehicles serve other states such as Arizona and Florida, places where Waymo continues to build its presence and anticipates expansion.
Outside California and Texas, Waymo primarily operates its earlier fleet model: distinctive white Jaguar I-Pace EVs. The Ojai minivan, which embodies Waymo’s newest strategy for scaling up, is assuming a more prominent role as the network grows.
Introducing the Ojai: Import Process and Economic Hurdles
Waymo’s Ojai features the company’s sixth-generation self-driving technology, integrates a revamped passenger interface, and utilizes Google’s Gemini AI for in-vehicle assistance. While the self-driving system and software are developed domestically, the Ojai starts as a Zeekr minivan built in China, shipped to the U.S. after removal of Chinese connectivity modules. The final build phase, adding Waymo’s hardware, takes place at a facility in Arizona.
The Ojai marks Waymo’s effort to lower operating costs and move closer to profitability; yet U.S. import tariffs on Chinese automobiles mean every new Ojai that enters the country incurs substantial added fees, putting cost pressure on the operation. Nonetheless, analysis of shipping data from New York research company MoffettNathanson reveals aggressive scaling plans, with projections in a September report that 5,100 Ojai minivans will be imported to the U.S. by the end of 2025. These vehicles are anticipated to reinforce Waymo’s networks in Texas, Florida (where Waymo is already active in three urban areas), and potential future hubs like Las Vegas.
Scaling Up Amid Regulatory and Economic Challenges
Waymo began its journey in California, with its headquarters and initial R&D activities in Silicon Valley, but the company’s recent urgency in Texas signals a strategic shift to regions primed for widespread autonomous ride-hailing adoption. With volumes of 500,000 paid robotaxi rides each week, Waymo is leveraging its latest Ojai fleet to target maximum market penetration in the largest service areas, even as ongoing tariffs on imports erode some of the expected cost benefits.
Ultimately, Waymo is placing its bets on the idea that large-scale and efficiently produced robotaxis will be key to dominating commercial autonomous transportation, allowing the company to extend far beyond its original California base.