Iván Hernández Dalas: Zoox begins testing its purpose-built robotaxis in Phoenix and Dallas

A Zoox test vehicle in front of pictures of Dallas and Phoenix.

Zoox said its testing in Dallas and Phoenix will collect data about sprawling environments, differentiating it from testing in dense metro areas such as San Francisco. | Source: Zoox

Zoox Inc. this week said it plans to bring its robotaxi operations to Phoenix, Ariz., and Dallas, Texas. The Amazon subsidiary is opening new depots in the two cities, as well as a new Fusion Center facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. In addition, the company has announced a new partnership with Uber.

With Dallas and Phoenix, Zoox is now operating test fleets across 10 distinct markets: the San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas, Seattle, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.

Following its standard protocol, the company plans to deploy a small number of its testing vehicles, which are retrofitted SUVs. Zoox will initially focus on manual mapping before progressing to autonomous vehicle (AV) testing. There is always a safety driver behind the wheel who can take over at any time, disengaging the AI if needed.

These testing vehicles will be located in central Dallas and Phoenix neighborhoods. Once this step is complete, Zoox will deploy its purpose-built robotaxis in these markets to begin testing.

Zoox said both cities provide it with the opportunity to push its autonomous driver into new weather conditions. In Phoenix, it can test its sensor and battery performance against extreme heat and dust on high-speed roads.

The company noted that Dallas provides a valuable testing ground to refine its AI against diverse weather and complex road networks.

Zoox robotaxis are now available on the Uber app

Zoox is partnering with Uber to bring its robotaxi experience to Uber’s growing autonomy platform in select cities. As part of a multi-year agreement, a dedicated fleet of Zoox robotaxis will be available through the Uber app, beginning later this year in Las Vegas and next year in Los Angeles.

Zoox will continue to offer its service through the Zoox app, in addition to rides being available through Uber in those cities.

Uber has worked in recent years to add autonomous vehicles to its mobility network. In October, it partnered with NVIDIA to bring more robotaxis to Uber’s fleet. NVIDIA said it can support Uber in scaling its global autonomous fleet to 100,000 vehicles over time, starting in 2027.

The company currently has 18 AV partners. It once had its own autonomous vehicle division, but that effort ended after a high-profile fatal accident in 2018. Uber eventually sold the unit to Aurora in 2018.

Uber said its current strategy allows it to stay active in the space, reduce technical risk, and potentially capitalize on its massive user base as autonomous driving technology matures.

Scottsdale to host third Fusion Center

Zoox is opening a third Zoox Fusion Center facility in Scottsdale, complementing existing facilities in Las Vegas and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fusion Centers serve as Zoox’s command center for fleet operations, where teleguidance, mission control, and rider support provide real-time coordination to help vehicles navigate complex scenarios, complete missions, and support riders when needed.

Since launching its service in Las Vegas and its Zoox Explorers program in San Francisco at the end of last year, Zoox has driven more than 1 million autonomous miles and served more than 300,000 riders. The company said its robotaxi offers uniquely designed elements, such as face-to-face carriage seating, that enhance socialization as well as safety innovations not possible in a traditional car.

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