Las Vegas is known for neon, gambling, and excess. Now it’s also the first U.S. city where you can hail a fully driverless Zoox robotaxi. Amazon’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary has officially opened its service to the public, offering short trips in compact, steering-wheel-free EVs that look more like urban shuttles than cars.
A New Kind of Ride
Zoox’s vehicles are purpose-built: boxy, bi-directional EVs with no steering wheel, no pedals, and four seats facing inward. The service is currently limited to trips of around three miles, connecting spots like Resorts World, Luxor, and AREA15. Rides are free for now, giving passengers a chance to test the concept and giving Zoox valuable data before it transitions to a fare model.
The launch underscores a milestone in the crowded robotaxi race. While Tesla continues to promise its own self-driving fleet, Zoox’s latest announcement proves it has a tangible lead—with actual cars on the road carrying real customers.
Why Las Vegas, and Why Now
Las Vegas makes sense for this rollout, with predictable routes, designated pickup points, and a steady flow of visitors who are open to trying something new. The Strip provides a controlled environment for safety testing while still being public enough to put the system through real-world challenges.
By offering free rides, Zoox is banking on word of mouth and public trust—two things Tesla still struggles with, given that former Waymo CEO John Krafcik has dismissed Tesla’s robotaxi claims as premature.
The Competitive Landscape
Zoox isn’t alone in going live. Waymo, another long-standing player, just received approval to test autonomous rides in New York City, a market far more chaotic than Las Vegas. Its expansion means the battle for robotaxi dominance is spreading from the controlled streets of Nevada to America’s toughest urban testbed.
Waymo’s rollout in Manhattan and Brooklyn adds pressure on rivals like Tesla, which remains stuck in investor pitches rather than passenger service.
My Final Word
Zoox’s Las Vegas launch is a big, fat statement. Amazon’s robotaxi arm has beaten Tesla to the punch, gone public ahead of most rivals, and chosen a market where public adoption could come fast.
Whether the novelty of free rides can evolve into routine mobility will depend on Zoox’s ability to scale the service beyond the Strip and into broader parts of the city. For now, the company has effectively turned Las Vegas into a highly visible proving ground, offering a glimpse of how autonomous transportation might fit into everyday urban life.
from Autoblog News https://ift.tt/Qikz1lS
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