Zoox is ‘built for riders, not drivers’. The company is the first in the automotive industry to showcase a driving, purpose-built robotaxi capable of operating up to 75 miles per hour. It combines artificial intelligence, robotics, vehicle design, and sustainable energy to bring its vision of reinventing personal transportation to life. In the long-term, its goal is to make the future safer and cleaner for everyone.
The company was founded in 2014 with a vision of building a zero-emissions vehicle designed for autonomous ride-hailing. The company was acquired by Amazon in 2020 and operates as an independent subsidiary. The acquisition occurred due to Amazon’s interest in integrating Zoox’s aims into their logistics network to offer cheaper and faster delivery. The device is now being tested on private and public roads in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Foster City.
The vehicle itself is fully electric, and designed for dense urban environments. It showcases a purpose-built driving robotaxi that combines artificial intelligence, robotics, vehicle design, and sustainability. Designed and manufactured in the United States, Zoox offers bidirectional driving capabilities and four-wheel steering, which enables manoeuvres through compact spaces and direction changes without the need to reverse. At 3.63 metres long, the vehicle has one of the smallest footprints in the automotive industry. It features a four-seat, face-to-face symmetrical seating layout that eliminates the steering wheel. The device utilises a 133 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, one of the largest batteries available for electric vehicles. The vehicle now has four thermal cameras, offering night and steam-free vision.
Zoox has not yet enclosed a start date for its vehicles or how it will price its service. However, they feel that the absence of a driver will allow them to lower their costs.
CEO Aicha Evans mentioned at the Bloomberg Technology Summit in London, “we don’t get into dates at Zoox; we prefer to show not tell.”
With testing already started, Zoox is anticipated to hit the road sooner than anticipated. With total funding of $1 billion, the next step for the company is to face the challenge of expanding beyond the initial cities and maintaining a user experience that is consistent.
Sources: Zoox, Bloomberg News
