Zoox, the autonomous technology division of Amazon, has expanded its robotaxi trial programs in San Francisco, CA and Las Vegas, NV. The advancements come as the company prepares to launch its autonomous ride-hailing service to the public in 2025.
In San Francisco, where the company launched its first robotaxi trials, Zoox will conduct the next phase of its robotaxi testing in line with its phased approach for new deployments in the SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood. Like its previous phases of testing, this new phase will not offer rides to the public but allow Zoox employees to ride the robotaxi and share feedback to help it improve over time. As this testing program continues, Zoox is looking to expand the testing geofence further along the SoMa area to include additional neighborhoods across San Francisco.
Ahead of launching its public robotaxi service in Las Vegas in 2025, Zoox will expand both the scope and focus of its autonomous testing program in the city. Here, the company announced a expansion to its Las Vegas geofence, which now includes The Strip and its surrounding areas.
Zoox highlighted that the Strip, itself, is one of the city’s busiest areas and will present its robotaxis with a number of complex driving scenarios. Among these are areas that include more than eight lanes of traffic, with multiple turning lanes, as well as high speeds, heavy pedestrian traffic, and large-scale intersections. In deploying its robotaxi within this dynamic, unpredictable, area, Zoom is ultimately aiming to provide the AI stack at the center of its robotaxi with invaluable learnings to help it prepare onboarding public riders next year.
While expanding the scope of its testing operations, Zoox also announced a new ‘early rider’ program for its Las Vegas robotaxi service in 2025. This will allow members of the public to sign up and, if selected, take complementary trips in the robotaxi – offering their feedback that will help Zoox develop the service before its full deployment.
