Amazon's Zoox subsidiary has launched its first public robotaxi service in Las Vegas, marking the tech giant's official entry into the autonomous vehicle race dominated by Alphabet's Waymo.
The free initial service offers rides along the Vegas Strip using custom-designed electric vehicles that lack steering wheels or pedals.
Unlike competitors retrofitting existing cars, Zoox developed its symmetrical, bidirectional vehicles from the ground up specifically for autonomous operation.
The rectangular toaster on wheels can transport four passengers facing each other with floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic views. Each charge supports 16 hours of operation.
Zoox Chief Technology Officer Jesse Levinson emphasized their unique approach: "You can shoehorn a robotaxi into something that used to be a car. It's just not an ideal solution."
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The company plans expansions to San Francisco this year followed by Austin and Miami, having already tested vehicles in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Seattle.
The launch comes as Waymo celebrates over 10 million paid rides across five cities, with Tesla recently beginning supervised robotaxi testing in Austin.
The billion dollar startup will operate initially without fares pending regulatory approval, using its 190,000-square-foot Vegas depot housing dozens of vehicles.
Safety remains paramount following industry setbacks, including Cruise's 2023 suspension after a dragging incident.
Zoox recently recalled vehicles to address software defects but maintains its safety record "is very much consistent with being significantly safer than humans."
The company produces one vehicle daily at its California factory, targeting eventual production of 10,000 annually as it scales toward profitability expected before 2030.
