Amazon's steering-wheel-free robotaxi Zoox hits the road in San Francisco and Las Vegas
Zoox, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals, has begun service in two cities; previously free rides in Las Vegas have now become paid.
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Amazon has launched its robotaxi model, Zoox, which features no driver, steering wheel, or pedals, in San Francisco and Las Vegas in the US. With the company's move into the autonomous transportation market, trial rides that were previously offered for free in Las Vegas have now become paid.
According to The Wall Street Journal, unlike traditional car designs, Zoox does not include a driver's seat, dashboard, steering wheel, or pedals. The vehicle, which has been compared to the shape of a "toaster," features large window surfaces and an interior design suitable for a face-to-face seating arrangement.
Seattle-based Amazon aims to gain a stronger position in the growing robotaxi market with Zoox. The company is entering the market with a vehicle model designed from the ground up as a robotaxi, rather than adapting classic cars for autonomous driving, following its acquisition of Zoox in 2020.
Zoox CEO Aicha Evans states that developing a new vehicle from scratch allows for faster improvements based on user feedback. It was reported that the company's current fleet consists of approximately 100 vehicles, and the assembly of these vehicles is carried out at a facility in California with an annual production capacity of up to 10,000 units.
PERMIT SCOPE INCLUDES RESTRICTIONS
Zoox has received permission to conduct commercial transport with up to 5,000 vehicles within two years. However, the permit was granted with certain usage limitations. Accordingly, robotaxis are prohibited from operating in adverse conditions such as rain, snow, or leaves scattered on the road. Furthermore, the vehicles are not permitted on roads where speed limits exceed 45 miles per hour.
Competition in the robotaxi field is currently reported to be concentrated around Waymo, under the Alphabet umbrella, and Tesla. Although Tesla plans to enter the market with its Cybercab model, which also lacks a steering wheel and pedals, it has not yet received usage permits for that model.
Amazon's transition of Zoox to paid service is seen as a new step in the transition of autonomous vehicle technology from the testing phase to commercial use. Nevertheless, the company's operations are expected to grow within the framework of speed and weather condition limitations set by regulatory bodies.