Waymo touts ‘elevator-like’ doors, ‘living room’ feel on new vehicles

Autonomous robotaxi company Waymo just announced a fleet of new vehicles — the Ojai — that it describes as roomier and more accessible than its typical Jaguar I-PACE cars. The self-driving Ojai offers “elevator-like doors,” low steps, flat floors, and a seat-integrated handle, features the Google-owned company says make it easier for riders to get in and out of the vehicle. Waymo describes the space inside the Ojai as a "living room on wheels." The Ojai interior shares some similarities with Waymo competitor Zoox, which operates a fleet of carriage-style autonomous cars. The Ojai has three large LED screens that display routes, temperature controls, and music options, with embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility (low-vision riders have expressed an affinity for self-driving cars in a recent New York Times report). The Ojai will feature the 6th-generation Waymo Driver tech, which the company says will enable the cars to operate more effectively in snowy conditions. Don’t look for the cars in New York or Boston, though; they will first roll out as free rides for select riders in the temperate cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, before moving to Denver, Las Veg