Amazon’s robotaxi company, Zoox, is set to start charging passengers in Las Vegas by early 2026, with paid rides in the San Francisco Bay Area expected to follow soon after. Jesse Levinson, Zoox’s co-founder and CTO, shared this news at the Fortune Brainstorm AI event in San Francisco, emphasizing the importance of getting federal and state approvals.
Unlike rival Waymo, which recently collaborated with DoorDash for food deliveries, Levinson says Zoox is focused on transporting people. He sees this market as vast and full of potential. “It’s just profoundly huge,” he said, highlighting that moving people is trickier than delivering packages due to vehicle design considerations.
Last week, Zoox hit a major milestone, surpassing one million miles in autonomous rides. Currently, the company offers free rides in Las Vegas, slowly opening up a waiting list for the service in San Francisco. However, Levinson noted that significant revenue won’t come for years, as operating costs remain high. “This is pretty expensive,” he acknowledged, but he believes once they generate more revenue than expenses, the business will become much more viable.
Levinson believes that the primary reason driverless taxi services are not more widely adopted yet is the complexity involved. “It’s really hard,” he admitted. He sees a future where this form of transportation becomes more common in crowded cities.
What sets Zoox apart is how its vehicles are built. Instead of modifying traditional cars made for human drivers, Zoox’s vehicles have been designed from scratch for autonomous use. With features like unique carriage seating, individual screens, and advanced climate control, they aim to provide a more enjoyable ride. Levinson points out that traditional vehicles were centered around human drivers, affecting their design and functionality. Zoox’s approach offers a fresh experience that could set it apart from competitors.
Another advantage for Zoox is its larger, environmentally friendly battery, which reduces the frequency of charging. Levinson envisions a new category of transportation that could be both exciting for users and beneficial economically. The potential for innovation in this space is enormous, making the prospect of driverless taxis not just a new trend, but a transformative approach to urban transportation.
In a recent survey, 72% of respondents indicated they would use a driverless taxi service. As public acceptance grows, Zoox’s focus on improving user experience could give it a significant edge in this expanding market. The future looks bright for autonomous transport, and Zoox is keen to lead the way.
For more information on autonomous vehicles and their potential impact on urban mobility, check out insights from the [U.S. Department of Transportation](https://www.transportation.gov/).
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autonomy,Brainstorm AI,driverless car,Tech,Tesla,waymo
