Spy shots of Waymo's robot cab, Zeekr

Alphabet's Waymo self-driving division announced last December that it would add an electric shuttle manufactured by Zeekr to its U.S. robotic cab fleet, and a prototype of the vehicle was spotted.

Waymo's fleet currently relies on Chrysler's Pacifica minivan and Jaguar's I-Pace crossover. Instead, Zeekr will be specifically designed to provide self-driving services without a human driver.

As a result, the shuttle has no steering wheel or pedals; the NHTSA no longer requires such conventional equipment on self-driving vehicles as long as they meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. The elimination of the B-pillar and the lower floor will also make it easier to get in and out of the car. One can also expect luxuries such as reclining seats, and screens and chargers within easy reach.

The prototype still features manual controls, as Waymo is responsible for installing the Waymo Driver automated driving system in the shuttle before the shuttle is added to the Waymo fleet. The system is capable of extended periods of solo driving, albeit with limitations, and thus ranks as Level 4 on the SAE scale of automated driving capability. Level 5 is the ultimate goal, meaning a system that can drive at the same level as a human.

It is quite possible that Zeekr will also launch a manually controlled version of the shuttle for other companies or even individuals.

Zeekr is a new global brand for premium electric vehicles from Chinese auto giant Geely The first Zeekr vehicle, the 001 hot hatch, went into production last October at a newly built plant in China The 001 is based on Geely's EV-specific, called SEA It is based on a platform, which will likely be used for the Shuttle, and Zeekr said in a statement that the vehicle will use an "open source mobility architecture."

Waymo has not disclosed how many shuttles it has ordered or when the first shuttles will be delivered.

Waymo's self-driving service, known as Waymo One, has been successful in parts of Phoenix in recent years. Last summer the service was expanded to parts of San Francisco, and Waymo has confirmed that Los Angeles will be its next destination. Waymo is also developing a self-driving delivery service known as Waymo Via.

Separately, Zeekr is partnering with Intel's Mobileye self-driving division to develop its own vehicle with Level 4 self-driving capabilities. The target launch date is 2024.