Waymo acquired Apple's abandoned self-driving car testing facility in Wittmann, Arizona for $220 million, according to Maricopa County filings recorded June 5. The 5,500-acre proving ground represents a major infrastructure investment as Waymo accelerates its robotaxi ambitions toward 1 million weekly rides.
Apple purchased the facility for $125 million in 2021 as the cornerstone of its autonomous vehicle program, codenamed Project Titan. The tech giant ultimately shelved the effort in 2024 after years of struggling to overcome technical hurdles and deliver a compelling product. The Wittmann site sat largely dormant since that cancellation, making Waymo's acquisition a strategic play to acquire proven testing infrastructure without building from scratch.
The facility offers Waymo critical advantages. A 5,500-acre proving ground provides space for advanced autonomous testing across varied terrain, weather conditions, and traffic scenarios. It includes paved test tracks, vehicle interaction zones, and infrastructure designed specifically for autonomous validation. This accelerates Waymo's ability to refine sensor systems, decision algorithms, and fleet-wide coordination before deploying vehicles into public streets.
Waymo currently operates robotaxi services in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles with its sixth-generation autonomous vehicles. The company has pushed to expand ride capacity and geographic footprint. This Arizona facility directly supports that scaling. The location near Phoenix, where Waymo already runs significant operations, offers geographic synergy for testing, maintenance, and operational validation.
The $220 million price reflects both the facility's specialized infrastructure and Waymo's confidence in the autonomous taxi market. While nearly double Apple's 2021 purchase price, the cost pales against the billions Waymo has invested in autonomous technology since its 2016 spinoff from Google. For a company racing to establish robota