Amazon’s Driverless Taxis Launch in Vegas With Free Rides - Scitke

After a decade of development, Amazon’s Zoox has launched its robotaxi service on the Las Vegas Strip, offering free rides for now.

Through the company’s app, riders can travel between stops along and near the Strip, including Resorts World Las Vegas, Area15, and Topgolf.

Free Rides to Build Awareness and Familiarity

Offering free rides in a busy tourist spot helps the company boost brand recognition ahead of expanding to more cities, while getting passengers accustomed to its driverless design — a contrast to Waymo and Tesla’s more conventional-looking robotaxis.

Zoox taxis feature a four-passenger carriage design with sliding doors for touch-free access, roomy interiors with personalized climate settings, and sensors that verify seatbelts are fastened before departure. The vehicles are bidirectional, allowing them to move in either direction without making a U-turn.

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Zoox

In recent years, Zoox has tested its EVs in several cities and opened a Hayward, CA plant to build 10,000 company-owned vans annually. The taxis can handle rain, nighttime driving, and reach speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h).

Zoox’s Origins and Expansion Plans

Self-driving engineer Jesse Levinson co-founded Zoox; his father chairs Apple’s board. “Zoox plans paid rides in Las Vegas soon, with San Francisco, Austin, and Miami to follow.”

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Zoox

That puts Zoox in direct competition with Waymo, the current U.S. leader in robotaxi coverage, operating in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Austin (the latter two in partnership with Uber). It will also face rivals like Tesla, which launched a small trial in Austin in June, and Lyft, which aims to roll out rides in Dallas next year.

Read the original article on: New Atlas