Amazon-backed operator expands its autonomous rollout
Amazon’s autonomous driving unit Zoox has launched its robotaxi service in San Francisco, offering free rides in select neighborhoods as it steps up efforts to challenge Waymo’s early lead in driverless transportation. The service is currently available only to people on Zoox’s waiting list and uses the company’s distinctive gondola-style vehicles, which operate without a steering wheel.
The expansion comes less than three months after Zoox debuted its first ride-hailing service on the Las Vegas Strip. Unlike Waymo, which charges fares in multiple cities, Zoox continues to offer free rides as it works toward full regulatory approval and prepares for its next phase of commercialization.
Regulatory approval still pending for paid operations
Zoox must secure authorization from California regulators before it can begin charging passengers in San Francisco. Waymo received similar approval in August 2023 after addressing safety concerns raised by local officials. Since then, Waymo’s driverless fleet has become a routine sight across San Francisco, drawing interest from tourists alongside the city’s historic cable cars.
Waymo, which began as a Google project in 2009, now operates in San Jose, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin, with plans to expand into New York City, Washington DC and London in 2026. The company has also begun extending its robotaxi routes onto highways in major cities, signaling a broader expansion of its autonomous operations.
Intensifying competition in autonomous mobility
Zoox’s San Francisco move highlights growing competition among companies racing to deploy robotaxi fleets in major urban markets. Amazon acquired Zoox in 2020 for 1.2 billion dollars, positioning it to compete with Alphabet’s Waymo and other autonomous rivals. Zoox has already announced plans to enter Austin and Miami as part of a broader national rollout.
To support those ambitions, Amazon has transformed a former bus factory in Hayward, California into a high tech production facility for Zoox’s electric robotaxis. The company aims to eventually manufacture up to 10,000 vehicles per year from the plant once output ramps up.
Looking ahead to wider availability
Waymo on Tuesday revealed plans to expand into five additional U.S. cities: Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Miami and Orlando. Passenger service in those markets is expected to begin next year once testing and approvals are complete. Zoox is expected to follow a similar path as it scales operations beyond its initial launch markets.
For now, Zoox’s presence in San Francisco marks a significant milestone for Amazon’s autonomous driving strategy, offering the company valuable real world testing and public exposure as it prepares for eventual commercial robotaxi services across multiple cities.
