{"id":"288044af-7d0f-481c-9d2d-c1a0730eb360","modelId":"e94a4a69-6197-45c9-bf9a-1cb637f307bd","versionId":null,"locationId":"0d5aa2e8-c47a-41e2-b0b9-ccfbf395e193","operatorId":null,"ownerId":null,"slug":"zoox-robotaxi-san-francisco","status":"active","firstSeen":"2024-11-01T00:00:00.000Z","manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/30/zoox-custom-robotaxis-are-finally-coming-to-san-francisco-and-las-vegas","label":"Zoox demo rides starting in SoMa, San Francisco","title":"Zoox demo rides starting in SoMa, San Francisco","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"TechCrunch","publishedAt":"2024-10-30"},{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/23/zoox-issues-software-recall-over-lane-crossings/","label":"Zoox provides free public rides in parts of SF and Las Vegas","title":"Zoox provides free public rides in parts of SF and Las Vegas","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"TechCrunch","publishedAt":"2025-12-23"}],"notes":"Operator: Zoox (Amazon). Zoox operates FREE public demonstration robotaxi rides in parts of San Francisco (starting in the SoMa neighborhood, where Zoox has an operations center) using its purpose-built robotaxi. IMPORTANT STATUS: free demonstration service, NOT paid commercial — needs further federal approval; paid commercial planned for 2026. SF is the site of the January 17, 2026 incident in which a Zoox robotaxi struck a suddenly-opened parked-car door, injuring a street ambassador, prompting an SFPD investigation and California DMV review.","keyFacts":[{"label":"Service type","value":"FREE public demonstration rides (not yet paid commercial)"},{"label":"Area","value":"SoMa (Zoox operations center) and parts of SF"},{"label":"Paid commercial","value":"Planned 2026 (pending federal approval)"}],"reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-26T18:25:10.322Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-26T18:25:47.054Z","model":{"id":"e94a4a69-6197-45c9-bf9a-1cb637f307bd","companyId":"6ab92a95-6f4e-4493-a771-ae645c7969c6","modelName":"Zoox Robotaxi","slug":"zoox-robotaxi","description":"Zoox's purpose-built, bidirectional autonomous robotaxi — built from the ground up with no steering wheel or pedals, designed for carriage-style seating. Operates Zoox's free public demonstration rides in San Francisco (SoMa) and Las Vegas (the Strip). Zoox separately runs a fleet of retrofitted Toyota Highlanders (with human safety operators) for testing in additional cities. Maturity: pilot — running free public demo rides, not yet approved/launched as paid commercial service.","formFactor":"av","maturityStage":"pilot","specs":{"test_fleet":"retrofitted Toyota Highlander (with safety operators)","configuration":"purpose-built, bidirectional, no steering wheel or pedals"},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/06/amazon-owned-zoox-issues-recall-following-robotaxi-crash/","label":"Purpose-built robotaxi (no wheel/pedals) + Highlander test fleet","title":"Purpose-built robotaxi (no wheel/pedals) + Highlander test fleet","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"TechCrunch","publishedAt":"2025-05-06"}],"aliases":["Zoox purpose-built robotaxi"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-26T18:25:09.786Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-26T18:25:45.239Z","company":{"id":"6ab92a95-6f4e-4493-a771-ae645c7969c6","name":"Zoox","slug":"zoox","description":"Autonomous-vehicle company founded ~2014 by Jesse Levinson and Tim Kentley-Klay, acquired by Amazon in 2020 for over $1 billion. Zoox develops a purpose-built, bidirectional robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals, plus a retrofitted Toyota Highlander test fleet. As of late 2025/early 2026, Zoox operates FREE public demonstration robotaxi rides (not yet paid commercial service) in parts of San Francisco (SoMa) and Las Vegas (the Strip), having opened to early riders/public after starting with employees and vetted guests in 2024. Zoox requires further federal approval before charging for rides and has stated it plans to begin paid commercial service in 2026. It also tests (with human safety operators) in Austin, Miami, Seattle, and Los Angeles using retrofitted Highlanders. Zoox has faced significant regulatory scrutiny: three software recalls in 2025 (258 vehicles in March for unexpected hard braking, ~270 in May after an April Las Vegas collision, and 332 in December for unnecessary lane-crossings near intersections), plus NHTSA probes. Amazon has positioned Zoox as its entry into autonomous ride-hailing, though it trails Waymo in commercial deployment.","status":"Amazon subsidiary","founded":2014,"hq":"Foster City, California, USA","fundingTotal":null,"type":"both","reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/06/amazon-owned-zoox-issues-recall-following-robotaxi-crash/","label":"Zoox — Amazon-owned, purpose-built robotaxi + Highlander test fleet, SF/Vegas/Austin/Miami/Seattle, recalls","title":"Zoox — Amazon-owned, purpose-built robotaxi + Highlander test fleet, SF/Vegas/Austin/Miami/Seattle, recalls","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"TechCrunch","publishedAt":"2025-05-06"},{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/30/zoox-custom-robotaxis-are-finally-coming-to-san-francisco-and-las-vegas","label":"Zoox custom robotaxis to SF (SoMa) and Las Vegas (Strip); founded ~2014; Amazon 2020","title":"Zoox custom robotaxis to SF (SoMa) and Las Vegas (Strip); founded ~2014; Amazon 2020","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"TechCrunch","publishedAt":"2024-10-30"},{"url":"https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/amazon-robotaxis-software-recall","label":"Zoox runs free public robotaxi rides in SF + Las Vegas; needs federal approval for paid; plans to charge 2026","title":"Zoox runs free public robotaxi rides in SF + Las Vegas; needs federal approval for paid; plans to charge 2026","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"Interesting Engineering","publishedAt":"2025-12-23"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"Owner","value":"Amazon (acquired 2020, $1B+)"},{"label":"Service","value":"FREE public demo rides (SF SoMa + Las Vegas Strip) — not yet paid commercial"},{"label":"Vehicle","value":"Purpose-built robotaxi (no steering wheel/pedals) + Highlander test fleet"},{"label":"Paid commercial","value":"Planned 2026 (pending federal approval)"},{"label":"Safety record","value":"Three 2025 recalls (258 braking / 270 Vegas / 332 lane-crossing)"},{"label":"HQ","value":"Foster City, CA (founded ~2014)"}],"aliases":["Zoox Inc"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-26T18:25:08.712Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-26T20:17:24.908Z"}},"version":null,"location":{"id":"0d5aa2e8-c47a-41e2-b0b9-ccfbf395e193","name":"San Francisco","slug":"san-francisco","kind":"city","parentLocationId":null,"lat":null,"lng":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["San Francisco, CA","SF"],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-25T22:46:00.936Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-25T22:46:19.860Z"},"operator":null,"owner":null,"derived":{"trustTier":"unverified","currentPosture":null}}