Waymo, a robotaxi service owned by Alphabet Inc. (the parent company of Google), has significantly expanded its operations across the United States. As of September 2024, the company was active in three major cities: Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. However, in the past year, it has grown to operate in 15 cities, with most of these new launches happening recently. Waymo's robotaxis now handle about 500,000 paid rides each week, showcasing the service's growing popularity and scale. Despite its national expansion, the majority of Waymo’s fleet is concentrated in two states: California and Texas. As of now, around 80% of its 4,000 autonomous vehicles are located in these two states. Texas has seen a sharp increase in the number of Waymo vehicles, with a 49% growth in its fleet over the past three weeks. This growth is largely driven by the introduction of a new Chinese-built minivan model, the "Ojai," which Waymo has customized for its service. As of September 24, Waymo had registered 1,102 autonomous vehicles in Texas. Waymo’s fleet includes both the familiar white Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs and the newer Ojai minivans. The Ojai, based on a Chinese automaker’s platform called SEA-M, is equipped with the latest self-driving technology and features an upgraded in-car assistant powered by Google’s Gemini AI. These vehicles are modified in Waymo’s Arizona factory after arriving in the U.S. without any connected-car technology from China. The company first launched its robotaxi service in Texas through a partnership with Uber in March 2025, allowing users to request rides via the Uber app. While California remains a key market for Waymo due to its proximity to the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley and its tech-savvy population, the rapid growth in Texas is more notable. However, the use of Chinese-built vehicles has introduced challenges, particularly in the form of import tariffs. These tariffs increase the cost of bringing Ojai vehicles into the U.S., potentially offsetting some of the cost savings the new model is expected to provide. According to a research firm, MoffettNathanson, Waymo is projected to import 5,100 Ojai vehicles by the end of 2024. These vehicles are likely to be deployed not only in Texas but also in other growing markets like Florida and Las Vegas.