Technology giant Amazon has kick-started its driverless robotaxi business, Zoox, with test drives on the street of Las Vegas with the company’s employees.
The vehicle is a whole new form of conveyance to make public transportation simple, cleaner, and safer. It is a compact, all-electric four-wheeler that seats up to four people. Zoox can travel up to 35 miles per hour without fuel, steering wheels, or pedals.
Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Zook, Jesse Levinson informed that Zoox’s headcount has increased from 1,900 to 2,200 at the beginning of the year. They are also expecting to maintain a similar rise in headcount throughout the year.
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He further added Amazon-owned Zoox autonomous robotaxi would only be functioning on the Vegas Strip once done with the testing, which is one step away from their commercial launch. Moreover, he mentioned they are planning to hire employees in the city, specifically for maintaining and charging the electric robotaxi.
Currently, Zoox is being tested for handling traffic lights, intersections, and driving speeds of upto 35 miles per hour.
In Feb 2023, Zoox completed rigorous testing on private roads in California and already has approval from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to operate its robotaxi on the state’s public roads. It is the first purpose-built autonomous, self-certified to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), permitted vehicle on California public roads.
Similarly, the company follows all the regulations from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles that permits Zoox to test drive robotaxi on Vegas roads. The company has yet to open up its autonomous electric robotaxis to the public.
