- Zoox plans to start testing self-driving vehicles in Austin and Miami this summer, expanding its testing cities to five.
- The company is under federal scrutiny for safety issues and is taking a cautious approach to testing and scaling.
- Zoox aims to refine its autonomous system in diverse urban environments before commercial deployment.
OUR TAKE
Zoox’s plans to test its autonomous vehicles speed up the commercial operation of the vehicles, which may revolutionise the form of transportation.
–Audrey Huang, BTW reporter
Zoox, Amazon’s self-driving unit, is set to expand its self-driving vehicle testing to Austin and Miami, marking its fourth and fifth test cities. This expansion follows continuous federal investigations into safety concerns, prompting Zoox to adopt a deliberate testing strategy. The company plans to use these new urban settings to enhance its self-driving driving technology, preparing for future commercial operations.
Zoox expands testing cities
Zoox, the self-driving vehicle unit of Amazon, announced plans to begin testing in Austin and Miami this summer. These cities will join Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Seattle as Zoox’s test locations, adding the total to five cities. The move is part of Zoox’s strategy to gradually scale its operations and improve its technology in different urban environments.
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Regulatory scrutiny and safety concerns
The expansion comes amid increased scrutiny from federal regulators, who are investigating safety issues in self-driving car companies, including Zoox. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has requested additional information from Zoox to aid in its probe into potential rear-end crash risks. This scrutiny is partly due to a recent incident involving a pedestrian collision.
Preparing for commercial debut
Zoox focuses on using diverse urban settings to adjust its autonomous system. The company has begun mapping Austin and Miami and plans to deploy a fleet of retrofitted Toyota Highlanders with safety drivers for initial testing. While Zoox has not specified when it will remove safety drivers or start commercial debut, the company is preparing for its first commercial debut, targeting markets like San Francisco and Las Vegas.
