- The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be Waymo’s next-gen self-driving taxi
- Self-driving Ioniq 5s will be on the road late in 2025
- Waymo didn’t say what’s happening with the self-driving Chinese Zeekr minivan
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will become Waymo’s next self-driving taxi, deploying a new generation of the Google spinoff’s Waymo Driver autonomous-driving system the companies announced on Friday.
The first phase of what is being called a multi-year partnership will see Waymo’s sixth-generation self-driving hardware and software integrated into Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric car. The self-driving Ioniq 5s will be assembled at Hyundai’s new Metaplant in Georgia. Neither company gave numbers, but the plan calls for “significant volume over multiple years” to support Waymo’s self-driving taxi plans.
Initial on-road testing is said to commence late in 2025 with consumer rides to start in the years following.
It’s unclear if the Ioniq 5 replaces vehicles based on a platform from Chinese automaker Zeekr that Waymo previously planned to use for its self-driving taxi fleet.
Waymo robotaxi based on the Zeekr SEA-M platform
Waymo revealed a self-driving taxi based on the Zeekr SEA-M platform in 2022, but since then the Biden administration has imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese-made EVs, which are due to take effect September 27.
In a statement to Reuters in September, Waymo said it was still “hard at work validating the 6th-generation Waymo Driver on the Zeekr platform,” while Zeekr told the outlet that there is “no change” in its partnership with Waymo. Hyundai said “nothing is determined at this stage about new businesses.”
Hyundai Ioniq 5 self-driving car
While Waymo once deployed a small fleet of purpose-built self-driving cars for testing purposes, it’s relied on vehicles from established automakers as it seeks to commercialize its tech. These have all been plug-in cars, including the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in hybrid minivan and Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV.
The Ioniq 5 was previously slated to become a self-driving taxi under Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and automotive supplier Aptiv. Motional revealed an autonomous Ioniq 5 prototype in 2021, with plans to launch a “robotaxi” service in 2023. But TechCrunch reported in May that Motional was pushing back the commercial launch to 2026 as it underwent a restructuring. A Hyundai/Waymo partnership could be a marriage of convenience for both sides.