Zoox Launches Robotaxi Testing in Los Angeles, Preparing for Future Rides

Amazon’s Zoox Begins Robotaxi Testing in Los Angeles

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle unit, Zoox, has launched a small fleet of retrofitted test vehicles on the streets of Los Angeles as part of its ongoing robotaxi development. This marks an important step for Zoox as it prepares to offer public rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco later this year. While Zoox is still in the early stages of testing, this move expands their presence into their sixth city and sets the stage for a fully autonomous service.

The initial deployment involves manually driven Toyota Highlanders equipped with Zoox's self-driving technology. These vehicles are collecting mapping data ahead of more advanced autonomous testing planned for the summer in Los Angeles. Unlike Waymo, Zoox is not yet offering paid robotaxi rides in LA but is working to establish a solid foundation for future services.

Zoox has already expanded its autonomous testing in cities like Foster City, San Francisco, and Las Vegas with purpose-built robotaxis, which do not feature steering wheels or pedals. Recently, the company allowed employees, media, and other vetted guests to experience these driverless vehicles. Testing also continues in Austin, Miami, and Seattle with Highlanders driven by human safety operators.

This move follows a recent voluntary software recall on Zoox's fleet due to issues with its autonomous driving system. In contrast, Waymo continues to lead the market, offering paid robotaxi rides in multiple U.S. cities, including Los Angeles.

Zoox representative stated:

"Zoox is still in the early stages of its testing phase but is preparing for broader deployment in the near future."