Global site navigation

Amazon's Zoox robotaxis take to California roads
Business and Economy

Amazon's Zoox robotaxis take to California roads

by  AFP 2 min read
Robotaxi services being tested in parts of the United States typically have manual controls so humans can take over driving if needed, but that is not the case in a shuttle that will carry Zoox workers between buildings at its headquarters
Robotaxi services being tested in parts of the United States typically have manual controls so humans can take over driving if needed, but that is not the case in a shuttle that will carry Zoox workers between buildings at its headquarters. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel!

The Amazon subsidiary Zoox on Monday said its self-driving vehicles with no manual controls took to California public roads over the weekend, calling it a major breakthrough for the robotaxi industry.

Use of the boxy electric vehicles is to be limited to full time employees who will be able to use the service only to travel the short distance between two Zoox headquarters buildings about a mile apart in Foster City, near San Francisco, during regular office hours, the company said in a blog post.

"This is an amazing milestone for Zoox and the autonomous vehicle industry as a whole," said chief executive Aicha Evans.

The service was tested during the weekend and will be made available to Zoox employees beginning in the next few months, according to the company.

"Getting to be the world's first passenger in a robotaxi with no manual controls on open public road...was one of the highlights of my life," Zoox co-founder and chief technology officer Jesse Levinson said in the post.

Read also

Data analytics firm Palantir posts quarterly profit

"I can't wait for everyone to experience that magic."

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Zoox robotaxis have no steering wheels or pedals for human drivers.

Other companies, such as Alphabet subsidiary Waymo and General Motors subsidiary Cruise, have been testing robotaxi services in limited areas but vehicles are still built with controls to allow a human drivers to take control as a precaution.

** An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit in paragraph two. It is Zoox, not Zoom.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.

Hot: