Waymo introduces gemini-powered taxi service in major U.S. cities

Waymo, a leading company in autonomous driving, has launched a major update to its customized autonomous taxi service, Ojai, by integrating Google's Gemini AI assistant. This integration marks a significant step toward more intelligent and interactive mobility solutions. The new Ojai model is now available to all regular users in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Waymo plans to expand the service to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego later this year. Passengers can choose between the new Ojai model and the existing Jaguar I-Pace autonomous taxis when requesting a ride. The in-vehicle Gemini assistant, currently in Beta testing, offers a more natural and smooth voice interaction experience. Passengers can adjust cabin temperature, find nearby points of interest, and listen to introductions about famous landmarks through simple conversation. If a passenger requests the AI to pull over, the instruction is safely handled by Waymo Driver for unified scheduling and processing.