Yoojung Ahn

YooJung Ahn is the Head of Design at Waymo, a self-driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around.

At Waymo, YooJung is responsible for the design and strategy of both the vehicles and products and for developing a consistent design language for the company. She joined Waymo in 2012 and led the design of its first self-driving car prototype, nicknamed Firefly, a car primarily for passengers and pedestrians, rather than a driver. The unconventional design of the Firefly won YooJung and her team at Waymo (formerly the Google self-driving car project) three major international design awards in 2015 and 2016.

Since then, YooJung has led the design work for Waymo's fully self-driving Pacifica and the I-PACE, Waymo's upcoming vehicle platform with Jaguar Land Rover.

Prior to Waymo, YooJung spent over a decade as a designer and has developed expertise in developing design strategy, branding, and products from concept to production. She holds a Masters in Industrial Design from Hongik University where she wrote her thesis, ‘The Cross-Cultural Product Design,” on how different cultures and lifestyles can influence product and design. YooJung also holds a Masters in Design Methods from IIT Institute of Design.

YooJung has been recognized for her work by the Design Museum, Automotive News, Red Dot, and iF Design and has been featured in publications, such as Fortune, Automotive News, and Car Design News.