Waymo encounters new rivals in San Francisco with the launch of Zoox, a company owned by Amazon. Zoox, celebrated for its distinctive, carriage-style vehicles devoid of steering wheels, has rolled out its Zoox Explorers initiative. This program offers a chance for chosen users to try Zoox at no cost, with the goal of collecting feedback. Participants need to download the Zoox app and sign up on a waitlist. Once selected, they can navigate specific parts of San Francisco, including SoMa and the Mission.

“Since 2017, Zoox has been evaluating our autonomous technology in San Francisco,” said Zoox CEO Aicha Evans. “This city is our foundation. A hub of innovation and advancement, with an exceptional mobility ecosystem that we believe Zoox can enhance. We’ve noticed remarkable interest in Zoox within this market and are thrilled about this initial step to deliver our purpose-built robotaxi service to a larger audience.”

Established in San Francisco in 2014, Zoox was acquired by Amazon in 2020 for $1.3 billion. The company also provides a comparable service in Las Vegas, where free rides are available to select destinations as a precursor to expanded service. Although there have been a few safety incidents since the Las Vegas service started in September, Zoox was previously scrutinized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to sudden braking events that resulted in a crash and injuries. Zoox representatives indicated that an update to the program has resolved the ghost braking problem.

In the meantime, driverless Waymos are prevalent in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, recently revealed that its vehicles will soon be permitted to drive on freeways in its existing service areas.