{"id":66926,"date":"2026-01-28T05:56:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ces.einnews.com\/article\/887184294"},"modified":"2026-01-28T05:56:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:56:51","slug":"waymo-zeekr-built-ojai-robotaxi-crashes-in-los-angeles-during-testing-with-on-board-safety-driver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/01\/28\/waymo-zeekr-built-ojai-robotaxi-crashes-in-los-angeles-during-testing-with-on-board-safety-driver\/","title":{"rendered":"Waymo, Zeekr-Built &#8216;Ojai&#8217; Robotaxi Crashes In Los Angeles During Testing With On-Board Safety Driver"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img data-opt-id=758893364  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cdn.benzinga.com\/files\/images\/story\/2026\/01\/28\/Waymo-shutterstock-1671396067.jpeg?width=1200&height=800&fit=crop&ssl=1\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p><!--$--><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"sc-gWkRPl fPvIlz\"><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\"><strong>An Alphabet Inc.<\/strong> <a class=\"ticker-link\" data-ticker=\"GOOGL\" data-exchange=\"NASDAQ\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/GOOGL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(NASDAQ:<\/a><a class=\"ticker\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/GOOGL\" target=\"_blank\">GOOGL<\/a>)<!-- --> <a class=\"ticker-link\" data-ticker=\"GOOG\" data-exchange=\"NASDAQ\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/GOOG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(NASDAQ:<\/a><a class=\"ticker\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/GOOG\" target=\"_blank\">GOOG<\/a>)<!-- --> autonomous cab service, <strong>Waymo<\/strong>&#8216;s &#8220;Ojai&#8221;<strong> <\/strong>Robotaxi, built in collaboration with Chinese automaker <strong>Zeekr, <\/strong>crashed into multiple vehicles in Los Angeles&#8217; Echo Park area.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ojai Robotaxi Was Driven By A Human<\/h2>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Surveillance camera footage has emerged of the incident on Tuesday, which took place on Sunday, around the Dodger Stadium area in the city. The video shows a Waymo veering off the road onto a grassy patch, before it came back on the street and crashed into multiple parked cars.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\"><em>Waymo and Zeekr didn&#8217;t immediately respond to <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.benzinga.com\" target=\"_blank\">Benzinga<\/a>&#8216;s request for comment.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Eyewitness reports suggest the car was being operated by a human driver, who is reportedly safe, with one witness sharing that the car almost crashed into his mother before she was pushed out of the way in time by his brother.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">The vehicle was recently unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 and features the company&#8217;s sixth-generation autonomous driving suite with multiple sensors and a minivan-like design.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><\/figure>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Waymo&#8217;s San Francisco Debacle<\/h2>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Last year in December, the company faced repeated disruptions in Robotaxi operations in San Francisco, owing to multiple factors, including a <strong>PG&amp;E Corp<\/strong>-operated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/PCG\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ticker-link\" data-ticker=\"PCG\" data-exchange=\"NYSE\" rel=\"noopener\">(NYSE:<\/a><a class=\"ticker\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/quote\/PCG\" target=\"_blank\">PCG<\/a>)<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/news\/events\/25\/12\/49526744\/pge-substation-fire-triggers-massive-san-francisco-outage-impacting-over-130000-customers\" target=\"_blank\"> substation outage in the city<\/a>, which resulted in Waymo pausing its service. Waymo issued a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/12\/49579986\/alphabet-backed-waymo-issues-software-update-for-fleet-following-pge-san-francisco-outage\" target=\"_blank\"> fleet-wide software update<\/a> following the incident.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Waymo had also<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/12\/49591537\/alphabets-waymo-pauses-service-again-in-san-francisco-on-christmas-day-amid-flash-flood-warning-report\" target=\"_blank\"> halted its operations<\/a> in the San Francisco Bay Area on Christmas Day following severe weather warnings, including flash floods issued by the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Waymo&#8217;s Growth<\/h2>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">The news comes as Waymo has sought to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/12\/49439115\/tesla-rival-waymo-eyes-10-billion-funding-round-at-over-100-billion-valuation-as-alphabet-ramps-up-robotaxi-battle-report\" target=\"_blank\">raise more than $10 billion<\/a> in funding at a $100 billion valuation. Waymo is also among the leaders in the Robotaxi race, with the company&#8217;s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/11\/48857320\/tesla-robotaxi-rival-waymo-shares-updated-fleet-size-amid-highway-expansion-elon-musk-says-rookie-numbers\" target=\"_blank\"> global Robotaxi fleet<\/a> comprising over 2,500 vehicles.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Waymo has also eyed an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/12\/49603272\/alphabets-waymo-spotted-testing-in-london-amid-intensifying-robotaxi-competition-in-europe\" target=\"_blank\">expansion into London<\/a>, with the company recently carrying out testing in the city with its local partner Moove. The company also reached<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/markets\/tech\/25\/12\/49324893\/elon-musk-says-waymo-never-really-had-a-chance-against-tesla-as-robotaxi-rival-completes-14-million-robotaxi-rides-in-2025\" target=\"_blank\"> 14 million paid Robotaxi rides<\/a> in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benzinga.com\/quote\/GOOGL\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\">Alphabet scores well on the Momentum and Quality metrics, but offers poor Value. It also has a favorable price trend in the Short, Medium, and Long term.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\"><strong>Price Action: <\/strong>GOOGL surged 0.34% to $335.68 during after-hours trading on Friday.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\"><em>Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/topic\/mobility\" target=\"_blank\"><em> following this link.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"block core-block\"><em>Photo courtesy: Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><!--\/$--><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--\/$--><!--$--><!--\/$--><!--$--><!--\/$--><!--$--><a class=\"text-sm my-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs<\/a><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">\u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\"> <\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/acceptable.html\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8230; was recently unveiled at the <span class=\"match\">Consumer Electronics Show (CES<\/span>) 2026 and features the company &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66926"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66926\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}