Zoox Tests Robotaxi on Las Vegas Roads

Zoox, owned by the globally famous Amazon corporation, has begun testing its autonomous electric taxi on the highways of Las Vegas. A fully autonomous car that lacks a steering wheel, pedals and driver has appeared on the roads of Nevada.

The primary goal is to test the robotaxi's behavior at stops and unprotected turns, as well as its maneuvering skills on roads with other traffic participants: other cars, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The autonomous taxi's route is a closed circuit with a length of 1.6 km. The southwestern part of the city was chosen for it, as the company's facilities are located there. If the initial tests are successful, the route will likely be expanded within the next few months.

Zoox has not disclosed how many autonomous taxis will hit the Las Vegas roads or how many hours a day will be allocated for test drives. However, a company representative clarified that they plan to conduct not just one but several tests.

Launching the robotaxi in Las Vegas is the next step after Zoox's deployment on the highways of Foster City, California, in February. Zoox has already received official permission from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles for autonomous control of its self-driving electric car. Under the state's laws, a company that develops and tests vehicles on its territory must provide evidence of their compliance with the "minimum risk condition". That is, they must be able to stop independently in the event of any system malfunction.

For reference: The Zoox robotaxi is a very compact electric car (its length is only 3.63 meters). The cabin accommodates 4 people, who are seated facing each other. All wheels turn, thus increasing the maneuverability of the vehicle. The maximum possible speed is up to 120 km/h. The battery’s capacity is 133 kWh. On a single charge, this autonomous taxi can drive for 16 hours.