what car is waymo using

[DeAvery]

Waymo primarily uses two purpose-built vehicles for its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One: the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE for its consumer fleet and a custom-built Zeekr mobility vehicle designed from the ground up for autonomous driving. These aren't just regular cars; they are integrated with Waymo's fifth-generation Driver, a sophisticated system of LiDAR, radar, and high-resolution cameras that perceive the world in 360 degrees.

The Jaguar I-PACE was chosen for its premium, all-electric platform, offering passengers a quiet and comfortable ride. Waymo has incorporated thousands of these SUVs into its fleet. The newer addition, developed in partnership with Geely's Zeekr brand, represents the next evolution. This vehicle has no traditional driver controls like a steering wheel or pedals and is engineered from the chassis up to optimize the placement of the autonomous driving sensors for maximum safety and reliability.

Vehicle Model	Powertrain	Key Feature	Primary Use	Partnership/Source
Jaguar I-PACE	All-Electric	Premium SUV platform	Waymo One rider fleet	Jaguar Land Rover
Zeekr Mobility Vehicle	All-Electric	Built-from-the-ground-up for autonomy	Future Waymo One expansion	Geely (Zeekr)
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid	Plug-in Hybrid	People mover/Minivan	Initial large-scale testing	FCA (Stellantis)
Waymo Via (Trucking)	Class 8 Truck	Freight transport	Autonomous cargo delivery	Daimler Truck
Sensor Suite	N/A	5th Generation Driver	360-degree perception	Waymo-designed

Before these models, Waymo extensively used the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan to develop and prove its technology. While largely phased out of the main rider service, it was instrumental in the company's early testing and deployment phases. For its commercial trucking division, Waymo Via, the company is partnering with Daimler Truck on autonomous Freightliner Cascadia trucks. The core of every vehicle, however, is the Waymo Driver, which acts as the brain, making the car itself the platform for this advanced technology.

[Truman]

I use Waymo all the time in Phoenix. The car that picks me up is almost always this slick, all-electric Jaguar SUV—the I-PACE. It’s super quiet and feels really upscale inside. The best part is there’s no driver, just a smooth, screen-guided ride. It’s become my normal way to get to the airport or downtown. I’ve heard they’re testing some new minivan-looking models too, but the Jaguar is the one I know and trust.

[DeNaomi]

From a technical standpoint, the car is just the platform. The real magic is Waymo's proprietary Driver system. They've integrated this hardware and AI into several vehicles, starting with the Chrysler Pacifica for its spaciousness. The current flagship is the Jaguar I-PACE, chosen for its electric performance. The strategic move is the partnership with Zeekr to create a vehicle designed exclusively for autonomy, which is a significant leap over retrofitting existing consumer models.

[KylieRose]

Seeing a Waymo Jaguar glide by silently with no one in the driver's seat is a glimpse of the future. It’s not just one car; it’s a fleet strategy. They started with minivans to perfect the tech, then moved to a luxury SUV to improve the rider experience. The next step is a vehicle built from scratch without a steering wheel. It shows this isn't about making cars drive themselves, but about building a new form of transportation from the ground up.

[Aniyah]

As someone who follows the industry, Waymo's vehicle choice tells a story of pragmatic progression. They began with the Chrysler Pacifica—a common, practical van ideal for testing. The shift to the Jaguar I-PACE signaled a move toward a scalable, premium commercial service. The most telling partnership is with Zeekr. Creating a bespoke vehicle is a clear statement that the future of autonomous mobility requires purpose-built designs, not just retrofits. It’s a multi-phase plan executed with clear intent.