Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving technology company, is planning to establish a new manufacturing plant in Mesa, Arizona, to integrate its autonomous technology into Jaguar I-PACE and Zeekr vehicles. The multi-million dollar investment is expected to create hundreds of jobs and marks a significant step towards scaling Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One.
Key Developments
The Mesa factory will begin production as early as this year, with Waymo partnering with Canadian auto parts supplier Magna International. Waymo plans to build over 2,000 fully autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles through next year and integrate its technology into new vehicle platforms starting with Zeekr RT this year.
Current Operations
Waymo One is currently providing more than 250,000 paid passenger trips weekly across cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. The service has already completed over 4 million paid trips in 2024. Waymo plans to expand its operations to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. by 2026.
“The Waymo Driver integration plant in Mesa is the epicenter of our future growth plans,” said Ryan McNamara, Waymo’s vice president of operations.
Background
Waymo, which originated as a Google self-driving project in 2009, has grown steadily despite challenges in the autonomous vehicle market. The company’s progress includes significant investments and technological advancements, positioning it as a leader in the autonomous vehicle sector.
