Amazon's Zoox just launched free robotaxi rides in San Francisco, letting waitlisted passengers hail its steering-wheel-free vehicles across select neighborhoods. The expansion comes three months after its Las Vegas debut, as Zoox waits on California regulatory approval to charge fares. Why it matters: Waymo finally faces a well-funded big-tech challenger in its own backyard.
Amazon's Zoox just opened its purpose-built robotaxi rides to the general public along the Las Vegas Strip. The toaster-shaped vehicles have no steering wheel or pedals, top out at 45 mph, and are currently free between a few select resort stops while regulatory permits are pending.
Amazon's Zoox just opened a 220,000-square-foot facility in Hayward capable of building over 10,000 robotaxis annually. The custom vehicles ditch steering wheels and pedals entirely, with plans to launch commercial rides in Las Vegas later this year. While it still trails Waymo by millions of rides, dedicated mass manufacturing turns up the heat on rivals.
Amazon’s Zoox just deployed a fleet of retrofitted Toyota Highlanders in Los Angeles to collect mapping data ahead of broader autonomous testing this summer. While rival Waymo already offers paid rides in LA, this marks Zoox’s sixth test city as it inches toward public launches in Las Vegas and San Francisco later this year.
Amazon-owned Zoox is preparing to roll out its purpose-built, steering-wheel-free robotaxi commercially in the coming months, starting in Las Vegas. The symmetrical, bidirectional EV ditches the driver's seat entirely in favor of an inward-facing carriage cabin. Early employee tests are already underway in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
