Amazon’s Zoox has finally launched its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas. The e-commerce giant’s autonomous self-driving taxi service has kicked off its first commercial operations in the US by offering free rides in Las Vegas. Zoox will take on the likes of Google’s Waymo, Uber, Lucid, and Tesla in the self-driving taxi market. The announcement comes five months after Zoox started testing its robotaxis in LA.

Zoox is offering free rides in Las Vegas

Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi is offering free rides to and from locations including Resorts World Las Vegas, Area15, Topgolf, and other resorts and entertainment spots in Las Vegas. The firm has announced that it’ll expand to additional locations in the coming months. Zoox is currently awaiting regulatory approval to operate its paid ride-hailing service in Las Vegas.

Unlike rivals like Waymo and Tesla, Amazon’s Zoox robotaxis have a distinct feel to them. They have zero manual controls like steering wheels, and look like a toaster on wheels. These autonomous vehicles have multiple seats with travellers sitting facing each other. Zoox has designed them to run on their own, with only a little human assistance offered when the vehicle requests it.

Zoox’s robotaxis can run for 16 hours on a single charge. Since the front and back of these vehicles are identical, with bidirectional wheels that allow them to move forward or backward without turning around. They also feature floor-to-ceiling windows to provide a sightseeing experience for travellers who want a clear view of the rows of casinos in Las Vegas.

Zoox has a tough road ahead in the autonomous ride-hailing market

Zoox will face tough competition in the US robotaxi market, currently dominated by Waymo. The Alphabet autonomous subsidiary has been offering commercial driverless rides since 2020. Earlier this year, the firm claimed to have surpassed 10 million paid rides, and currently operates in five cities.

After getting the regulatory approval for offering paid rides in LA, Zoox will debut an early rider program in San Francisco before the end of 2025. As of now, the company is testing a fleet of 50 autonomous vehicles in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Austin and Miami will be the firm’s next locations, and it’ll soon start testing robotaxis in those markets in the coming months.
The post Amazon’s Zoox Robotaxi Makes Public Debut with Free Rides in Las Vegas appeared first on Android Headlines.

Source: ndroidheadlines.com