(NewsNation) — That boxy silver pod cruising the Las Vegas Strip isn’t a futuristic toaster — it’s Amazon-owned Zoox’s new robotaxi.
The company began offering rides to the public, free of charge, on Wednesday.
Using the Zoox smartphone app, passengers can select several destinations around the Las Vegas Strip, with staff stationed at certain locations to help with pickups and dropoffs.
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Zoox’s robotaxi looks noticeably different from rivals like Waymo and Tesla, as the company opted for a true driverless vehicle. There are no manual controls, such as a steering wheel or pedals, and passengers sit facing each other.
“The idea for Zoox was never to make a car drive itself; it was about creating an entirely new mode of transportation,” Jesse Levinson, co-founder and CTO of Zoox, said in a statement.
A Zoox robotaxi in San Francisco, CA (Credit: Zoox)
San Francisco is next in line, with a waitlist already open but no launch date set. Austin and Miami will follow.
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Wednesday’s Zoox launch was more than a decade in the making, but the robotaxi wars are only just beginning.
Amazon bought Zoox for $1.3 billion in 2020, entering a high-stakes autonomous vehicle race that includes Alphabet’s Waymo, Tesla and others.
Waymo is currently offering autonomous rides in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and Atlanta, with plans to expand further. Tesla began offering robotaxi rides in Austin in June.
Zoox is still awaiting regulatory approval before it can begin charging for rides. For now, passengers can ride free to resort and entertainment properties on and around the Las Vegas Strip.
Once it begins charging for rides, Zoox’s prices will be comparable to traditional taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, The Associated Press reported.
