Amazon's Zoox unveils redesigned robotaxi ahead of upcoming expansion
Amazon's Zoox unveiled the "next evolution" of its toaster-shaped self-driving vehicle on Wednesday, adding more rider-friendly features ahead of a wider U.S. rollout this year.
The company said it's equipping the vehicles with higher-quality touchscreens, more comfortable seats and headrests, and small interior tweaks that will make it easier for passengers to spot forgotten items like keys and phones.
Zoox is also enlarging and relocating the robotaxi's "bidirectional reflectors," which help riders and others such as law enforcement distinguish the vehicle's front from its rear, so that they're easier to spot.
The updates come as Zoox is plotting expansion in additional markets and preparing to charge for rides later this year. The company, which Amazon acquired for $1.3 billion in 2020, is way behind Alphabet's Waymo, the U.S. robotaxi leader.
Waymo recently surpassed 500,000 weekly paid rides across 10 U.S. cities. It also plans to bring commercial service to several new cities this year, including London and Tokyo, the first international markets. By comparison, Zoox said Wednesday it has served more than 500,000 riders since it opened service in Las Vegas last September.
Zoox currently offers free rides in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco, and it's allowing select users to hail its robotaxis in small areas in Miami and Austin, Texas. It's also testing in six other U.S. cities.
In March, Zoox struck a partnership with Uber to make its robotaxis available through its ride-hailing app in Las Vegas, enabling it to reach a wider potential customer base.
The Zoox robotaxis have been nicknamed "toasters" due to their shape. The vehicles have no steering wheel or pedals, and feature four carriage-style seats that face inward, giving them a shuttle-like atmosphere.
Zoox's biggest hurdle remains launching a paid service. The company is awaiting approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to operate as many as 2,500 of its self-driving cars on public roads for commercial purposes.
Zoox's petition is currently under review by NHTSA after public comments closed in early April.
Zoox said Wednesday that the redesigned robotaxi is its "production intent vehicle," and the company expects to introduce the model to its existing fleet later this year.
The company added that it will soon begin large-scale production of its robotaxis at its manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area that opened last June.
WATCH: Amazon launched its Zoox robotaxis in Las Vegas and we took a ride
