Zoox opens its Las Vegas robotaxi service to the public

Zoox robotaxis — custom-built all-electric and autonomous vehicles that operate without a steering wheel or pedals — can now be hailed by the public in Las Vegas.

But this isn’t a commercial service just yet. For now, the Zoox robotaxi service currently offer rides for free. The Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, which launched the free service on Wednesday, has been chugging toward this milestone for years now.

The company spent six years developing its technology before unveiling its purpose-built, electric, autonomous robotaxis. Zoox then began testing its cube-like vehicles on public streets in Las Vegas in 2023. Initially, the test area was a one-mile loop around the neighborhood where its Las Vegas facilities are located in the southwest region of the city. The testing area inevitably grew to encompass the public streets around its depot, the length of the Strip, and some of the roads adjacent to it.

Earlier this year, the Foster City, California company launched a Zoox Explorer program — a limited pilot aimed at early public riders, in Las Vegas. Wednesday’s launch opens the service up to any adult who downloads the Zoox app on iOS and Android devices.

While the new robotaxi service covers the Las Vegas Strip, riders cannot be picked up or dropped off just anywhere. For now, the service can only be accessed at five designated pickup and drop-off destinations, including Las Vegas landmarks like Resorts World Las Vegas, AREA15, Topgolf, New York New York, and Luxor. A Zoox spokesperson said the company will continue adding new destinations in the coming months.

It’s unclear how long these rides will be free as the company said it needed “regulatory approval” before it could charge for rides. While Zoox doesn’t explicitly list which regulations it needs to meet, the requirement is likely connected to a recent agreement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency that oversees vehicle safety standards.

Last month, NHTSA gave Zoox an exemption to demonstrate its custom-built robotaxis on public roads. That decision cleared up a long-standing debate over whether Zoox’s custom-built autonomous vehicles complied with federal motor vehicle safety standards, which typically require vehicles to have features like a steering wheel and pedals. But for now, the exemption only allows Zoox to demonstrate the robotaxis, not operate them commercially.

Zoox also appears to be preparing for a similar launch in San Francisco, where it’s already testing its robotaxis on public streets. The company said Wednesday that the public can now join a “San Francisco” waitlist via the Zoox app.