Waymo, the autonomous vehicle division of Alphabet, has finally disclosed the extent of its commercial fleet, revealing over 1,500 Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles are currently operating as robotaxis. This announcement comes alongside a significant investment strategy aimed at expanding its fleet, including plans with Magna to produce more than 2,000 additional autonomous I-Pace models at a new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona.
The Mesa plant, which spans 239,000 square feet, is strategically positioned near key Waymo markets, such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Waymo’s decision to establish the factory in this location was influenced by its proximity to its operational areas and the region’s consistently favourable weather conditions, which are crucial for the testing and validation process of autonomous vehicles.
According to a Waymo spokesperson, the company had considered multiple sites but ultimately chose Mesa. The facility is set to replace production capabilities previously housed in a now-closed Detroit plant, marking a significant shift in Waymo’s manufacturing approach.
Waymo’s recent blog post indicated that the final Jaguar parts were delivered earlier this year, and the integration of the self-driving technology will be collaboratively managed by Magna and Waymo engineers at the new factory. The automaker has emphasised an innovative production process that enables these vehicles to transition directly from production to public service. Notably, these autonomous vehicles can commence passenger pickups within 30 minutes of leaving the manufacturing site, and those intended for other cities can be operational within hours of reaching their local depots.
The factory’s design isn’t limited to the I-Pace model; it is also built to accommodate other vehicle platforms. Waymo has plans to integrate its sixth-generation self-driving technology into the Zeekr RT later this year.
Waymo anticipates that, once fully operational, the Mesa facility will leverage automated production lines and other efficiencies, enabling the production of tens of thousands of fully autonomous vehicles annually. This advancement reinforces Waymo’s commitment to scaling its autonomous fleet and enhancing urban mobility through innovative technology.
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