Zoox Begins Testing Robotaxis on Public Roads in Las Vegas

Amazon-backed Zoox has been testing its robotaxi on public roads in Las Vegas. It is the first time a fully driverless purpose-built robotaxi has operated autonomously on public roads in the state of Nevada.

The US state is the second that its robotaxi is driving autonomously in, following on from the deployment in Foster City, California, in February, 2023.

To receive permission to drive, the robotaxi had to reach the safety standards of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. 

The route is a one-mile loop around the neighborhood where Zoox's Las Vegas HQ is located, and it will expand over the coming months.

The robotaxi can transport four people at a time along this public route, at speeds up to 35 mph.

The first riders are Zoox employees, and what it learns from these journeys will help it build the group's future public service.

On February 11, Zoox conducted the first run of its employee shuttle service in Foster City, California, marking the first time in history a purpose-built autonomous robotaxi without traditional driving controls carried passengers on open public roads in the US.

Jesse Levinson, Co-founder and CTO, Zoox, says: “Deploying our robotaxi on open public roads in California and now Nevada is a big step for Zoox. Driving autonomously in these two unique but equally challenging locations will provide us with invaluable learnings as we fine-tune our technology in preparation for commercial launch."

Zoox is an independent subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc.