Zoox opens 1st robotaxi factory, competes with Tesla and Waymo
Amazon's Zoox just opened a massive new factory in California to build its own robotaxis—no steering wheels or pedals needed.
Once the plant is fully up and running, it aims to produce over 10,000 vehicles a year.
The company is gearing up to launch its ride service soon in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Zoox is building cars from scratch for self-driving rides
Zoox isn't just modifying regular cars—it's designing vehicles from scratch for self-driving rides.
These cars skip the usual controls entirely, setting them apart from competitors like Waymo and Tesla.
Right now, Zoox is testing both its custom vehicles and some retrofitted Toyota Highlanders on public roads in cities like the Bay Area, Las Vegas, Austin, and Miami.
Zoox faced some challenges during testing
It hasn't all been smooth: Zoox faced recalls after some test incidents this year, plus a federal investigation that ended after a software fix.
The team is working to iron out these issues before officially launching rides.
Their approach stands out compared to others—Waymo uses modified existing cars while Tesla plans to use Model Ys and its upcoming Cybercab.