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Google began testing its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo, in San Francisco back in 2009. Since then, the Bay Area has become a hotbed for autonomous innovation, with Waymo now expanding its service to Californian freeways, as announced earlier this month.
Now, autonomous-vehicle enthusiasts in the City by the Bay will have the chance to hail a second autonomous transport service: Zoox. The project, backed by Amazon, began testing in 2017 and is characterised by its toaster-like vehicles with no steering wheels.
Under the Zoox Explorer programme, riders will be expected to add their name to a waitlist via the Zoox app, where they will await selection. In the initial stages, all rides will be free before the project is expanded to include a paid service.
In a statement to the press, Zoox CEO Aicha Evans said:
“Zoox has been testing our autonomous technology in San Francisco since 2017; it’s our home. A city of innovation and progress, with an amazing mobility ecosystem that we feel Zoox can really complement. We have seen incredible interest in Zoox in this market and are excited about this first step to bring our purpose-built robotaxi experience to more people.”
In the initial stages, Zoox will run in select neighbourhoods, including SoMa, the Mission, and the Design District before the service is expanded to other parts of the city.
Zoox began in 2014 and was acquired by Amazon in 2020 in a $1.3 billion deal. The company is currently offering a similar free service on the Las Vegas Strip as it awaits regulatory approval for a paid service.
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