Amazon-Backed Zoox Launches Self-Driving Taxi Service in San Francisco

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle company backed by Amazon (AMZN), has initiated its self-driving taxi service in San Francisco. The service, available through the Zoox Explorer program, offers free rides to users who sign up via the company's app. This marks Zoox's second major deployment following its Las Vegas launch in September.

Unlike competitors such as Google's Waymo (GOOGL) and Tesla's Robotaxi (TSLA), Zoox's vehicles are designed from the ground up to be fully driverless. The cars lack steering wheels and pedals, featuring instead bench seating where passengers face each other. The vehicles are bidirectional, with no distinct front or back, and can switch between headlights and brake lights as needed. Equipped with extensive camera and sensor arrays, the cars can be remotely controlled by Zoox staff if they encounter complex situations.

The autonomous driving sector remains highly competitive. Waymo, for instance, has accumulated millions of self-driving miles and is expanding its operations from San Francisco and Los Angeles to include Austin, Atlanta, and Miami. The company has also made significant strides in highway driving. Meanwhile, Tesla continues to advance its robotaxi program, though details remain under wraps.