[AutonomousVehicles] zoox now testing on public roads

[Cornelius Butler]

Hi Everyone,
Amazon's Zoox self-driving division is now officially testing its
self-driving vehicle on roads. Article link and text is below.

Article Link:
https://www.engadget.com/amazons-zoox-successfully-tests-its-purpose-built-autonomous-taxi-on-public-roads-134628930.html

Article Text:

Amazon's Zoox is now operating its purpose-built autonomous taxi on public
roads

By Steve Dent
Steve Dent|@stevetdent|February 14, 2023 8:46 AM

Amazon-owned Zoox has started offering driverless robotaxi rides in
California after receiving a testing permit from the DMV (Department of
Motor Vehicles), the company announced. Unlike the autonomous vehicles from
Cruise and Waymo, Zoox's vehicles are purpose built for driverless taxi
rides, so they have no steering wheel or pedals.

On February 11th, shortly after receiving the permit, Zoox conducted the
"first run of its employee shuttle service in Foster City, California,
marking the first time in history a purpose-built autonomous robotaxi
without traditional driving controls carried passengers on open public
roads," it wrote in a press release.


To get to that point, the company completed what it called "rigorous"
testing with the vehicles on private roads. It also ran its L3 test fleet
(hybrid Toyota Highlanders with safety drivers) over a million autonomous
miles on data-gathering missions in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle.

Zoox has been developing its unique vehicles since it launched nine years
ago, and was acquired by Amazon in a $1.2 billion merger in the summer of
2020. Its robotaxis, introduced later that year, are relatively tiny at
3.63 meters (11.9 feet) long, have passenger bench seats that face each
other, four-wheel steering and can drive in either direction. That makes
them highly maneuverable, but they can also travel at speeds up to 75 MPH
and run 16 hours on a charge thanks to the immense 133kWh battery packs.

Zoox will now offer full-time employees robotaxi rides between its Foster
City offices during business hours. "As the company continues to advance
its progress and secure additional government clearances, it will expand
its service to the general public," the company wrote.
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