Zoox Expands Robotaxi Testing to Dallas and Phoenix, Pushing into New Climates and Conditions

Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit, Zoox, is setting its sights on Texas and Arizona. The company announced Monday it will begin testing its self-driving technology on the streets of Dallas and Phoenix, marking a strategic expansion into environments that pose fresh challenges for its systems.

Initially, the company will use Toyota Highlanders equipped with its technology and a human safety driver to gather mapping data. The subsequent goal is to deploy Zoox's unique, purpose-built robotaxis. Company officials state the selection is deliberate: Phoenix offers extreme heat, dust storms, and fast-moving highways, while Dallas presents sprawling road networks and a wider variety of weather patterns than Zoox's existing urban test beds.

To support the move, Zoox is establishing operational depots in both cities and a central command hub in Scottsdale, Arizona. This expansion brings the total number of U.S. cities where Zoox operates or tests to ten, joining locations like Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Miami. Since Amazon acquired the startup in 2020 for $1.3 billion, Zoox reports its fleet has logged over one million autonomous miles and provided more than 300,000 rides.

The push comes amid a crowded and competitive field. Waymo continues to grow its service area, and Tesla introduced its own robotaxi platform last year, though it remains geographically limited. The industry's rapid advancement on public roads continues to outpace formal regulation, a tension highlighted by a series of recent incidents involving autonomous vehicles and a federal safety forum scheduled for this week where key industry leaders will convene.

Source: Engadget