Zoox has officially commenced allowing select users in San Francisco to hail its autonomous vehicles, marking its entry into competition with Alphabet’s Waymo in the robotaxi sector for the first time. The initiative, launched as part of the “Zoox Explorers” program, invites riders to enjoy complimentary rides in the company’s uniquely designed box-shaped vehicles across neighborhoods such as SoMa, Mission, and Design districts.
As the program develops, Zoox plans to gradually reduce the waitlist for this service, determining access based on users’ locations and its fleet expansion, with the aim of completely removing the waitlist by 2026, according to spokesperson Marisa Wiggam. The company, founded in 2014 and acquired by Amazon for $1.3 billion in 2020, has been making strides to establish a competitive presence against Waymo. What sets Zoox apart is its steering-wheel-free design created from the ground up, catering specifically to autonomous services.
In September, Zoox achieved a significant milestone by launching its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas, offering free rides along the Las Vegas Strip while awaiting regulatory approval for a paid service. The company has been actively testing its technology in San Francisco since 2017, initially using retrofitted Toyota Highlander SUVs, before rolling out its distinctive driverless shuttles last year, which were previously available only to friends and family of employees.
Currently, Zoox operates a fleet of 50 robotaxis divided between San Francisco and Las Vegas. In contrast, Waymo fully opened its San Francisco service to all riders in June 2024 and has accomplished over 10 million paid rides since its Phoenix launch in 2020. Recently, Waymo also announced plans to provide freeway rides in major markets including San Francisco and Los Angeles while expanding services to cities like San Jose and airports.
With Zoox’s ongoing fleet expansion into cities such as Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., the competition in the autonomous taxi space is heating up. As advancements continue, both companies look set to provide innovative transportation solutions that could reshape urban mobility in the coming years.