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Waymo unveils 5-nanometer ASIC boosting robotaxi AI performance

8/20/2026

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Summary

Waymo Unveils Chip

Waymo unveiled a custom 5-nanometer ASIC chip for its robotaxi fleet on Thursday.
The chip provides over 1,000 TOPS of machine-learning performance for front-end sensor processing.
Waymo manufactures the ASIC with TSMC’s 5-nm process and installs it in the Ojai minivan built with Zeekr.
Sixth-generation hardware cost drops to $20,000-$25,000 per vehicle, down from $100,000-$125,000.

Summary

Waymo Launches Ojai

Waymo now lets any rider in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco hail the Ojai robotaxi.
The Ojai, a Chinese-built Zeekr van stripped of Chinese connectivity, is assembled in the United States.
Waymo installs 13 cameras, four lidars and six radars, cutting sensors 42% versus generation five.
MoffettNathanson says Waymo will import 5,000 Ojai units by end-2026, keeping price under $20,000 despite a 127.5% tariff.

History

Historical Context

Google began its self-driving program in January 2009, rebranded as Waymo in December 2016 and started driver-less testing in 2017; leveraging in-house lidar and low-cost chips, Waymo now outfits its Zeekr-built Ojai robotaxi with a 5-nm TSMC ASIC delivering over 1,000 TOPS for roughly $22,000 per vehicle, speeding mass deployment.

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Waymo Unveils Chip

Waymo unveiled a custom 5-nanometer ASIC chip for its robotaxi fleet on Thursday.
The chip provides over 1,000 TOPS of machine-learning performance for front-end sensor processing.
Waymo manufactures the ASIC with TSMC’s 5-nm process and installs it in the Ojai minivan built with Zeekr.
Sixth-generation hardware cost drops to $20,000-$25,000 per vehicle, down from $100,000-$125,000.

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