Wednesday, December 4, 2024, Zoox self-driving robotaxi in San Francisco, California, USA.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Amazon‘s self-driving division Zoox plans to begin testing self-driving cars in Dallas and Phoenix, the company announced Monday.
First, Zoox will introduce a “small number” of refurbished products. toyota The company says the Highlander SUV will be driven by a human safety driver and will map the area before introducing toaster-shaped robotaxis.
Dallas and Phoenix will allow Zoox to expose its technology to more expansive streets as well as more diverse and difficult weather conditions than the densely populated metropolitan areas it has previously tested.
“In Phoenix, we have the opportunity to test sensor and battery performance against extreme heat and dust on highways,” Zukes said in a blog post. “Dallas provides a valuable testing ground for refining AI for diverse weather conditions and complex road networks.”
Zoox said it has served more than 300,000 passengers since its launch in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
With this expansion, Zoox’s fleet now has a presence in 10 U.S. markets. Last November, Zoox began offering free rides in parts of San Francisco, months after first opening its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas.
We are also testing self-driving technology in Seattle, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, DC.
Amazon acquired Zoox in 2020 for $1.3 billion. Since then, it has gradually ramped up testing in more parts of the United States. Zoox is also looking to expand its robotaxis manufacturing, opening a 220,000-square-foot factory in the San Francisco Bay Area and aiming to produce 10,000 vehicles a year once fully operational.
The expansion comes as Amazon seeks to compete alphabetIt is a company owned by Waymo, which dominates the self-driving car market in the United States. tesla. Chinese robotaxi developer Baidu– Owned by Apollo Go, Pony.ai, we ridecontinues to gain market share in China.
As part of Monday’s announcement, Zoox also revealed plans to open a new “Fusion Center” in Scottsdale, Ariz., referring to staff that will provide remote guidance, mission control and rider support for the company’s fleet.
The company also operates command centers in Las Vegas and the San Francisco Bay Area.
