Zoox, the autonomous vehicle arm of Amazon, has been authorized by the state of Nevada to operate its driverless robotaxis on public roads in Nevada.
The state is the second that will feature Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi shuttle on public roads. Earlier this year, Zoox started testing its robotaxi shuttles in California.
The robotaxis can transport four people at a time along a public route at speeds up to 35 mph. The first riders in California were Zoox employees and it will continue that service in Nevada as the shuttle will transport employees on a one-mile loop around the neighborhood of its Las Vegas headquarters. The route will put the vehicle through several unprotected turns and multi-way stops with busy roads filled with other cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
"We’ve chosen an initial route that will put our vehicle through its paces. It must navigate several unprotected turns and multi-way stops — all on busy public roads with cyclists, pedestrians and cars."
Zoox said that these journeys are designed to test how the shuttles operate on the roads and will help to build its future public service. The short-term goal is to provide Las Vegas with public rides but the ultimate goal is to make it available across the U.S.
