Amazon Enters Robotaxi Market with Zoox Launch in San Francisco
Amazon has entered the highly competitive robotaxi market by launching its Zoox autonomous vehicles on San Francisco's public streets. This move puts Amazon directly in competition with Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOGL) Waymo, the current leader in this space, and Tesla Inc. (TSLA), which is expanding its own service.
The launch marks a significant milestone for Zoox, a company that Amazon acquired in 2020 for $1.2 billion. San Francisco's challenging environment will test whether Zoox's unconventional vehicle design and autonomous technology can win over riders. The city is one of the most demanding urban environments for autonomous driving, and Waymo has already established a significant commercial presence there.
Zoox's vehicles have been designed from scratch with no steering wheel, pedals, or traditional front or rear. They use four-wheel steering with an active suspension system specifically designed for driverless operation. The company has logged over 3 million autonomous miles and transported close to 1 million passengers, according to The Wall Street Journal.