Self-driving car company Waymo closed Detroit plant, shifted focus to Arizona

From Yahoo Finance: 2025-06-25 10:19:00

Waymo, a Google-affiliated autonomous vehicle company, closed its Detroit plant earlier this year, shifting resources to Arizona. The project failed to meet ambitious goals, with most employees transferred to other locations. Despite the closure, Waymo remains committed to Michigan, creating new jobs and advanced engineering opportunities in the state.

The Detroit plant, once expected to create 400 engineering jobs, shut down after failing to meet production expectations. Waymo shifted focus to Arizona, doubling production at its new plant. Despite the closure, Waymo remains dedicated to Michigan, creating high-paying jobs and advancing engineering efforts in the state.

The hype of autonomous vehicles has waned as Waymo closed its Detroit plant. Automakers like Ford and General Motors pivoted away from full autonomy pursuits to focus on more immediate returns. However, Daimler Truck-backed Torc Robotics plans to expand in southeast Michigan, investing $5.5 million and creating 500 jobs.

Read more: Self-driving car company Waymo quietly closed its Detroit plant. Here’s why.