Amazon's self-driving subsidiary Zoox has announced plans to begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Dallas and Phoenix. The company will start with retrofitted Toyota Highlander SUVs equipped with human safety drivers to map the cities. This expansion aims to evaluate sensor and battery performance in new environmental conditions.
Zoox, Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit acquired for $1.3 billion in 2020, revealed on Monday its intention to test self-driving technology in Dallas, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. The initial phase involves deploying modified Toyota Highlander SUVs with human safety drivers to create detailed maps of these areas. Over time, Zoox plans to introduce its purpose-built robotaxis in these markets.
The selection of Dallas and Phoenix allows Zoox to assess its vehicles in distinct settings. Phoenix presents challenges like extreme heat, dust, and high-speed roads, while Dallas features expansive roadways and diverse weather patterns not fully experienced in Zoox's current operational cities. To support these efforts, Zoox is establishing new depots in both locations and a command hub in Scottsdale, Arizona, for managing fleet operations, providing remote guidance, and assisting riders.
This development extends Zoox's presence to 10 U.S. cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. The company reports that its fleet has accumulated more than one million autonomous miles and transported over 300,000 riders so far.
The announcement occurs amid growing competition in the robotaxi sector. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, is expanding rapidly across the United States, and Tesla launched its Robotaxis last year, though operations remain confined to certain parts of Austin, Texas. Regulatory scrutiny is increasing, with a U.S. self-driving safety forum scheduled for Tuesday, where chief executives from Waymo, Zoox, and Aurora are anticipated to participate.
Concerns about safety persist as the technology deploys on public roads. Recent incidents include an autonomous vehicle striking a child near a school, obstructing emergency responses to a mass shooting, and Tesla vehicles involved in crashes at rates exceeding those of human drivers.
