Waymo Faces Legal Hurdles Amid Robotaxi Expansion Using Chinese-Built Minivans
Waymo is strategically launching its robotaxi fleet with a Chinese-manufactured minivan, coinciding with Congress’s efforts to legislate a ban on such imports from American roads.
Since 2024, Waymo has imported over 3,200 vehicles manufactured by Zeekr into the United States. Notably, more than 2,600 of these vehicles arrived in 2026 alone via the Port of Los Angeles, as detailed in a report by CarNewsChina.
Referred to as the Ojai, this silver minivan is assembled in Ningbo, China, by Zeekr—a sub-brand of the Chinese automobile giant Geely.
Upon arrival in Mesa, Arizona, the vehicles are delivered as “glider” chassis, stripped down for Waymo to integrate its proprietary sensors and computational technology, all while incurring hefty tariffs that would deter many automakers.
According to Yahoo Finance, the tariff on these imports stands at a staggering 127.5 percent, inflating the approximate $38,000 cost of each Zeekr chassis to about $86,500 prior to the addition of Waymo’s autonomous driving technologies.
During a Senate hearing, Waymo asserted that this arrangement allows for a consistent supply of vehicles, enabling the company to scale operations more efficiently.
In April 2026, Senators Bernie Moreno from Ohio and Elissa Slotkin from Michigan introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act, aiming to prohibit the importation, sale, and utilization of vehicles manufactured in China or other designated nations of concern.
Moreno directly confronted Waymo about its utilization of Geely vehicles during a Senate inquiry in February, describing it as a “backdoor way of circumventing the connected vehicle rule” after Waymo explained that it installs its autonomous systems domestically.
The bill progressed through the Senate Commerce Committee in July 2026 with minimal opposition.
However, momentum halted when Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky raised concerns that the proposed language might unintentionally include companies like Mercedes-Benz, given their Chinese shareholders.
Consequently, the Associated Press reported in late September that further consideration of the bill was postponed until after midterm elections.
While this delay provides Waymo with additional months, it does not equate to immunity. Both Moreno and Slotkin continue to pursue the bill, which, with a suggested compliance deadline of 2030, could spell challenges for any company employing Chinese-built components extensively.
Waymo contends that its glider strategy adheres to legal standards. The company maintains that it does not exchange US rider data with Zeekr, does not license its autonomous software to the manufacturer, and prevents any transfer of algorithms or source code through its supply chain.
Nonetheless, Missy Cummings, the former senior safety advisor at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, remains skeptical, suggesting that there is a possibility of Chinese entities embedding additional sensors that could relay data back to China—a concern Waymo has yet to definitively address.
This sets the stage for a critical issue related to the glider strategy. It rests on legal interpretations concerning the value addition process rather than providing a technical assurance regarding the components built overseas.
A regulatory body lacking confidence in this premise is unlikely to be reassured by mere public statements.
The Case for Waymo to Manufacture Its Own Vehicles
Jason Calacanis, an early investor in Uber, recently forecasted that Waymo may ultimately acquire a vehicle manufacturing company such as Rivian or Lucid following its IPO, thereby securing its own production facilities to create specialized autonomous vehicles.
Calacanis has disclosed small stakes in Rivian, Lucid, WeRide, and Pony.ai, predicting that all four will be subject to acquisition within the next two years.
This scenario posits a feasible solution to a pressing structural gap within Waymo’s operational framework.
Unlike Cruise, which is bolstered by General Motors, or Tesla, which manufactures its vehicles entirely in-house, Waymo develops its autonomous driving software but relies on partnerships with automakers for the underlying vehicle platforms, notably utilizing Zeekr for the Ojai and Hyundai for an upcoming Ioniq 5 model.
Reports suggest that Waymo aims to scale its fleet from about 4,000 vehicles to 20,000 by the end of 2027; however, the company has refrained from confirming this target.
While Senator Paul’s objections have stymied Senate actions, the Connected Vehicle Security Act remains scheduled for further consideration, with a reported transition phase potentially necessitating compliance from affected commercial fleets by 2030.
Source link: Startupfortune.com.
