"Zoox is not your average car. The company doesn't bulk order vehicles from automakers to retrofit them with sensors the same way Waymo or Uber does. Instead, Zoox designed a vehicle solely for robotaxi operations and builds the cars out of a factory in Hayward, California. The robotaxi doesn't have a steering wheel or brake pedal - only seats inside the vehicle. The car is also bi-directional, meaning the Zoox's "front" goes both ways."
"The service is considerably smaller than its competitor, Waymo, and that limitation was acutely felt in my experience hailing a Zoox on a Thursday night in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show. However, the rider experience itself felt more akin to an amusement-park-ride-slash-party-bus than an average ride-hail service in an everyday car, which makes Zoox a true differentiator against the emerging players in the robotaxi race."
Zoox, founded in 2014 and acquired by Amazon in 2018, operates a limited fleet of about 50 robotaxis in Las Vegas and San Francisco and plans expansion to Austin and Miami. The company builds bespoke vehicles in Hayward, California, rather than retrofitting third-party cars. The robotaxi lacks a steering wheel and brake pedal, features four interior seats and a bi-directional design that eliminates U-turns. Riders experience sliding doors, a chime on entry, and an interior likened to an amusement-park or party-bus atmosphere. The fleet remains much smaller than competitors like Waymo, making Zoox’s distinct vehicle design a key differentiator.
Read at Business Insider
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