Waymo Expands Autonomous Jaguar I-Pace Robotaxi Fleet with New Arizona Factory

Waymo, a leader in autonomous vehicle technology and a subsidiary of Alphabet, has publicly disclosed key details about its commercial autonomous fleet for the first time. The company announced it currently operates over 1,500 Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles outfitted as robotaxis, serving customers in multiple U.S. cities.

To support this growing fleet, Waymo has partnered with Magna to establish a new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona. This 239,000-square-foot factory will produce more than 2,000 autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles annually, integrating Waymo’s sixth-generation self-driving system directly into the electric SUVs.

The choice of Mesa is strategic: the location is near Waymo’s existing robotaxi markets such as Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, and benefits from consistent weather conditions ideal for vehicle validation and testing. This proximity enables rapid deployment of vehicles into public service.

Waymo has implemented a streamlined production-to-deployment process where autonomous vehicles can drive themselves directly from the factory to their service areas, picking up passengers within 30 minutes. Vehicles destined for other cities can be shipped and deployed within hours, accelerating fleet expansion and operational efficiency.

Beyond the Jaguar I-Pace, the Mesa plant is designed to accommodate other vehicle platforms, including integration of Waymo’s latest self-driving technology into the Zeekr RT model later this year. The factory will also introduce automated assembly lines and other efficiencies to scale production to tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles annually.

Broader Significance and Industry Impact

Waymo’s expansion highlights the maturation of autonomous vehicle technology from experimental testing to scalable commercial deployment. The ability to produce and validate self-driving vehicles rapidly and at scale is critical for meeting growing demand in urban mobility and robotaxi services. This development also underscores the importance of strategic manufacturing partnerships and location choices that optimize operational logistics and market access.

For cities and consumers, increased availability of autonomous robotaxis promises safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly transportation options. For the automotive and tech industries, Waymo’s model demonstrates how integrating advanced self-driving systems with electric vehicle platforms can accelerate the transition to autonomous mobility.

As autonomous vehicle fleets grow, data infrastructure and IoT connectivity will become increasingly vital for real-time monitoring, fleet management, and continuous software updates. Waymo’s approach sets a benchmark for how to efficiently scale autonomous transportation services while maintaining safety and reliability.