Zoox, Amazon's self-driving unit, announced on 18/11 that it had begun offering a free robotaxi service to early users in select areas of San Francisco. The company is accelerating its expansion amid increasing competition in the autonomous ride-hailing sector.

Zoox invited waitlist members to try the service in parts of San Francisco, aiming to refine the experience before scaling up. This move comes just days after Waymo, owned by Alphabet (Google's parent company), announced its plans to offer robotaxi services on highways across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Waymo has operated on San Francisco streets for years and currently provides paid services in several other US cities.

A Zoox robotaxi parked outside the company's office and warehouse in Las Vegas. *Photo: CNBC*

Also on 18/11, Waymo began fully autonomous vehicle operations in Miami, kicking off an expansion of its ride-hailing service to more US cities. This effort aims to solidify Waymo's leading position in self-driving car technology. Meanwhile, Tesla launched a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, this year with a safety monitoring system and has started a driver-assisted ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Zoox's custom-designed vehicle, resembling a toaster on wheels, lacks manual controls like a steering wheel or pedals. The company began offering its free robotaxi service to the public on the Las Vegas Strip in September.

A Zoox robotaxi with two rows of passenger seats facing each other. *Photo: Zoox*

Tesla's robotaxi launch this year, Waymo's rapid expansion, and Zoox's entry underscore a focus on commercializing autonomous vehicles. This push occurs even as significant investments, stringent regulations, and federal investigations have forced many companies to cease operations.

My Anh (according to Reuters)