Zoox to begin offering robotaxi rides to public in San Francisco

Zoox, an Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, is beginning to offer limited robotaxi rides to the public in San Francisco through its early rider program called Zoox Explorer. While the service is not yet a full commercial launch, select individuals from the waitlist will be invited to use the robotaxis for free within a small service area covering the SoMA, Mission, and Design districts. Zoox currently operates about 50 robotaxis in San Francisco and Las Vegas, and aims to eliminate the waitlist entirely by 2026 as it expands its fleet and coverage. The company’s custom-built, driverless vehicles—lacking steering wheels and pedals—have been tested in San Francisco since 2017. Zoox faces two main regulatory hurdles before commercial service can begin: obtaining a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission to charge for rides, and securing expanded approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to use its vehicles commercially. While NHTSA granted Zoox an exemption in