Waymo Buys 5,500-Acre Arizona Test Track for $220M
Alphabet’s Waymo has acquired a 5,500-acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds in Wittmann, Arizona, from an Apple-linked entity for $220 million. The site features a 115-acre city course, a 35-acre vehicle dynamics area, a four-mile oval track and dedicated freeway loop to expand high-speed, scenario-based testing.
1. Acquisition Details
On June 5, Waymo completed a $220 million purchase of a 5,500-acre autonomous vehicle test site in Wittmann, Arizona, acquiring the land from a Delaware entity tied to Apple. Apple originally bought the property in 2021 for $125 million, turning it into a private proving ground for its cancelled Project Titan effort.
2. Facility Features
The Arizona site includes a 115-acre city course with urban intersections and signaling, a 35-acre vehicle dynamics area for handling tests, a four-mile oval track for sustained high speeds, and a dedicated freeway loop for freeway scenario validation and all-weather trials.
3. Strategic Impact
This acquisition bolsters Waymo’s existing proving grounds in California and Ohio by adding vast space for rider-only validation, motion-control calibration and operator training. The expanded footprint supports accelerated self-driving development and long-term scaling of its robotaxi services.
