Amazon’s Zoox has revealed a revamped design for its robotaxi, gearing up to introduce paid ride services in the United States. This latest model continues with the company’s distinctive ‘toaster-shaped’ aesthetic, often characterized by its rectangular silhouette. The robotaxi also features a carriage-style cabin design, maintaining the look of the previous versions while implementing several functional updates.

The revised model can operate in either direction, reaching speeds of up to 75 miles (120 km) per hour. Modifications include enhanced bidirectional reflectors that assist passengers and emergency responders in distinguishing the front and rear of the vehicle. Additionally, Zoox has incorporated a speaker and a two-way audio system at the door interface to improve user interactions.

Essential features from earlier designs remain intact, including a moonroof, ambient starry lights, and a comprehensive suite of cameras, radars, lidars, and infrared sensors, which are used for environmental perception. These technologies form the backbone of the autonomous capabilities characteristic of Zoox’s vehicles.

Interior Space and Passenger Comfort

The interior of the Zoox robotaxi showcases a minimalist layout with four seats arranged to face each other. As an autonomous vehicle, it does not include a steering wheel or pedals, allowing a more open and social environment for passengers. The company has made notable enhancements for comfort, featuring improved touchscreens, padded headrests, and a reimagined colour scheme. The seats are now aloe-green with stone-grey trim, creating a fresh aesthetic.

Zoox has also increased the size of cupholders and added a specially designed charging pad that prevents mobile devices from sliding during transit. These thoughtful design changes aim to make it easier for passengers to locate personal items, such as keys and mobile phones, within the cabin.

With these interior improvements, Zoox emphasises passenger comfort and practicality, intending to create a welcoming environment for users as they travel.

Plans for Paid Ride Service and Expansion

Currently, Zoox operates a free ride service in selected cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, and Austin. Since its service launch in Las Vegas last September, the company claims to have catered to over 500,000 riders. In March, Zoox announced a partnership with Uber to integrate its robotaxis into the ride-hailing platform in Las Vegas.

Looking ahead, Zoox aims to roll out a paid service, anticipated to launch before the end of this year, once it secures the necessary regulatory approvals. The company is reportedly seeking clearance from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to utilise up to 2,500 of its self-driving vehicles for commercial operations on public roads. This approval process follows the closure of public comments in early April regarding the petition.

In tandem with its paid service rollout, Zoox plans to commence large-scale production at its manufacturing facility in Hayward, California. This plant, which opened in June, has the capacity to manufacture 10,000 robotic vehicles annually, with a target output of 100 vehicles per week, subject to regulatory green lights.

Despite these advancements, Zoox remains in a competitive landscape, trailing behind rivals such as Google’s Waymo, which recently surpassed 500,000 paid rides each week across ten US cities and is set to expand its commercial service to new locations, including London and Tokyo.

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