A version of the following article appeared in the Friday, July 17, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Vehicles feature company’s sixth-generation Waymo Driver
Waymo Ojai vehicles are parked in Charlotte. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Addison)
by Ashley Fahey
Waymo autonomous vehicles aren’t yet driving Charlotte streets without a human behind the wheel, but its local fleet has a new look.
A Waymo spokesperson confirmed there are approximately a dozen Ojai vehicles operating autonomously in Charlotte with trained specialists behind the wheel.
“The next phase will be fully autonomous operations for employees, who will provide feedback on the ride experience before we welcome our first public riders,” the spokesperson told us. The Ledger inquired about a timeline for that next phase, but that information was not provided.
When Waymo rolled out in Charlotte in February, its fleet included about a dozen Jaguar SUVs.
The Waymo Ojai is a robotaxi by the company that Waymo describes as “a living room on wheels,” with a low step and a flat floor. Although spacious, Ojai models can hold up to four passengers. The Ojai will be the first vehicle to include Waymo’s sixth-generation Waymo Driver, which has an upgraded autonomous hardware and software system from its predecessors, according to the company. The new model also saves the company more than 50% compared to its fifth-generation system, according to an Automotive World report from earlier this year.
Chinese electric-vehicle company Zeekr is manufacturing Waymo Ojais.