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Is it a toaster? Is that a pill on the wheel? No, it’s Zoox’s funny looking robotaxis. It’s the latest fully autonomous vehicle on the streets of California.
Zoox’s self-driving cars began operating in San Francisco’s SoMa district this week and are expected to compete with robotaxis designed by Waymo, which began offering ride-hailing services to the public in San Francisco and Los Angeles earlier this year.
But it’s not complete yet. For now, Zoox’s unmanned trips around SoMa are for testing and research purposes only.
“Since 2017, our test vehicles have been driving autonomously on the streets of San Francisco with a safety driver,” Zoox CEO Aicha Evans said in a statement. “Now that all important safety measures have been completed, we look forward to beginning testing robotaxi in this great city.”
The Amazon-owned company also began testing driverless vehicles near its headquarters in Foster City, California, and around the Las Vegas Strip.
You board the self-driving car through a sliding door.
(Zooks)
If all goes well, the goal is to start inviting the public to attend next year.
The Zoox vehicle design, like its name, is decidedly futuristic. The pill-shaped vehicle is essentially one giant cabin on wheels, featuring two spacious benches facing each other, and no middle or driver seat.
“For us, a better ride meant creating a lounge-like environment where social connections were maintained and daily activities were uninterrupted. It had to be face-to-face.” Studio Engineering Director Chris Stoffel said in a statement about the four-seater design.
Zoox vehicles are specifically built for autonomous driving, with no traditional manual controls or even a steering wheel. Waymo, on the other hand, uses off-the-shelf Jaguar I-Pace SUVs equipped with sensors.
During the day, Zoox riders can see the sky through the sunroof, and at night the ceiling is illuminated with tiny twinkling lights to resemble a starry night sky.
But not everyone sees the proliferation of self-driving cars as a blessing in disguise.
In February, a crowd swarmed a Waymo car in San Francisco’s Chinatown, painting graffiti on it, smashing windows, and setting it on fire.
Tensions over self-driving cars were already high after a driverless cruise car owned by General Motors struck a woman in downtown San Francisco and dragged her 20 feet across the street in October 2023. The incident prompted state regulators to temporarily rescind regulations for self-driving cars. If the company approves, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will begin an investigation and Cruise will recall all of its vehicles.
In November 2023, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asked state regulators to increase oversight of companies operating self-driving cars.
This year, state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) introduced a bill that would allow cities and counties to set their own regulations regarding self-driving cars. The bill passed the Senate, but Cortese later withdrew it after the Assembly Transportation Committee introduced significant amendments.
Against this backdrop of national anxiety, Zoox is reminding San Franciscans to prepare for this new development.
“Over the past seven years, we have rigorously tested and validated our AI stack in multiple cities in preparation for the rollout of our robotaxi fleet,” co-founder and chief technology officer Jesse Levinson said in a statement. said.
The company also touts safety features such as six different types of airbags, sensors that prevent the car from starting until everyone is buckled up, and software designed to prevent crashes.
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