The 6th-generation Waymo Driver is Waymo’s new set of cameras, lidar, radar, microphones and computers, built to cost less and to handle snow. It runs first in the Ojai, the boxy van-style vehicle built by Zeekr. Since August 20, 2026, any Waymo rider in San Francisco, Los Angeles or Phoenix can be matched with an Ojai, but you cannot request one; the app assigns it when one is nearby. The Jaguar I-PACE cars in the rest of the fleet still use the 5th-generation Driver.
What “Waymo Driver” means
Waymo calls its whole self-driving system the Waymo Driver: the sensors on the car, the onboard computers and the software that drives. A “generation” is a new hardware package. The 5th generation is what you see on the white Jaguar I-PACE fleet. The 6th generation is the next package, and Waymo says the same software drives both.
What changed in the 6th generation
Waymo’s VP of Engineering laid out the changes in a February 12, 2026 blog post:
- Fewer, sharper cameras. The new cameras use a 17-megapixel imager, so Waymo needs less than half as many cameras as the 5th generation to see all around the car. Waymo says they also handle darkness, glare and heat better, and cost about the same as an ordinary car camera.
- New lidar. A long-range lidar that sees farther with more detail, plus short-range lidars placed near the cameras for backup close to the vehicle.
- Imaging radar built on the 5th-generation design, with new Waymo software for rain and snow.
- External microphones (“EARs”) around the roof dome that pick up sirens and railroad crossing bells.
- Custom chips that replace several separate hardware parts.
- Cleaning and weather. Cameras have built-in cleaning for rain, grime and ice, and the lidar is designed to see through heavy highway spray. Waymo says the package is meant for cities with hard winters.
Waymo has not published exact sensor counts, ranges or computer specs for the 6th generation, and it has not given a cost per vehicle. The aim it does state is a cheaper package designed for high-volume production at its factory in Metro Phoenix, which it says is scaling toward tens of thousands of vehicles a year.
Which vehicles use it
- Ojai. The first vehicle with the 6th-generation Driver. It is built by Zeekr, a Geely brand. Waymo’s May 28, 2026 post lists its cabin features: embedded braille, screen-reader support, a handle built into the seat, a low step and a flat floor, and three large screens for temperature and audio.
- Hyundai IONIQ 5. Waymo names it as another vehicle the 6th-generation Driver is built to fit. It has not said when IONIQ 5 robotaxis will carry riders.
- Jaguar I-PACE. Still runs the 5th-generation Driver.
Can you ride one, and how?
The rollout has gone in three steps:
- February 2026: fully autonomous Ojai rides start for Waymo employees and their guests.
- May 28, 2026: selected riders in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles get free Ojai rides. Others could ask in by joining the Trusted Tester program in the Waymo app.
- August 20, 2026: Waymo opens the Ojai to all riders in those three cities, Electrek reported. Denver, San Diego and Las Vegas were named as the next cities for select riders.
To ride one, request a normal Waymo trip in one of those cities. If an Ojai is nearby, you may get it. Waymo has said it plans to let riders choose between the Ojai and the I-PACE later, but that option was not available as of the August change. Waymo has not announced a separate fare for the Ojai; see how Waymo fares work for what sets the price of any ride.
What it means for where Waymo goes next
The 6th generation matters less for a rider in San Francisco and more for where Waymo can go. A cheaper package means more cars per year, and winter-ready sensors mean cities with snow. Waymo’s city list includes several such places it plans to open, and Denver is first in line for the Ojai.
Waymo’s track record behind the new hardware: nearly 200 million fully autonomous miles over seven years by February 2026, and more than 20 million fully autonomous trips across 11-plus cities by May 2026. Those are Waymo’s figures.
For how other robotaxi companies equip their cars, compare Tesla’s camera-only Robotaxi and Zoox’s purpose-built vehicle.