Waymo, Zeekr Develops Robotaxi That Has No Steering Wheel

The Chinese company Geely's new brand Zeekr is collaborating with Waymo on its next generation of robotaxis. The first vehicle, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals, has finally been presented. However, it will be some years before the car begins to pick up customers.

A few months ago, the Geely Group's premium electric brand, Zeekr, announced a collaboration with Waymo to develop a new autonomous electric vehicle. A prototype of a minivan based on a new proprietary SEA-M architecture was recently unveiled in Los Angeles.

This vehicle includes sliding doors that reveal an interior cabin that can seat up to five passengers, with the front and back seats, for example, facing each other. What stands out is the lack of a steering wheel and pedals, which obviously saves room, especially because the seats recline. A tablet located in the front of the vehicle allows passengers to access route-related or other information. There are no rearview mirrors on the outside, but there are a slew of sensors on the roof.

This fully autonomous vehicle will gradually become part of the Waymo One car-sharing fleet, which is already being deployed in Phoenix and will soon be available in certain regions of Los Angeles. So far, the majority of Waymo's fleet comprises of Chrysler Pacificas and Jaguar i-Pace vehicles.

This model is currently a prototype. Its production is set to begin in 2024. Until then, Waymo will need to collaborate with appropriate politicians, particularly the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), to get this odd car licenced for usage.