Zoox is another autonomous taxi in operation

Amador Palacios
2 min readMay 17, 2024

Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon, has positioned itself as one of the main players in the race to develop autonomous taxis. With an innovative approach and unique design, Zoox differentiates itself from its competitors and seeks to transform the urban mobility experience.

Unlike traditional autonomous taxis that retrofit existing vehicles, Zoox has created an entirely new vehicle from scratch. Its two-way design, without driver or steering wheel, allows to make the most of interior space, offering passengers a more comfortable and sociable experience. Modular seats can be configured in a variety of ways, allowing passengers to work, relax or even socialize during the trip.

Like other self-driving cars, Zoox is equipped with cutting-edge technology that allows it to safely and autonomously navigate city streets. LiDAR sensors and high-resolution cameras provide a 360-degree view of the environment, while advanced software processes information in real time to make precise decisions about route and speed.

The system also has a multiple redundancy system to guarantee safety in case any component fails, and also as additional security it has a person who remotely controls what is happening, and can move the vehicle.

Since its inception, Zoox has focused on creating an exceptional user experience. The vehicle’s interior is designed to be comfortable and relaxing, with ambient lighting, individual climate control and Wi-Fi access. Passengers can also use touchscreens to control entertainment, trip information and climate settings. It uses an entirely new platform, and is not based on any existing car.

A video can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNdN1kjruE#ddg-play

The company has obtained the necessary permits to operate in California and Las Vegas, and in general people are surprised by the originality of the vehicle, but as in the case of its competitors (Waymo, Cruise, etc…) it remains to be seen how its development evolves service over time.

It must be recognized that Zoox were ambitious in designing a new vehicle concept, and they have also risked a lot. Now they face the “reality” of transporting passengers, and being able to resolve the multiple incidents that arise on the roads.

I wish them the best

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Amador Palacios

I am an electronic engineer with more than 40 years working in industry. I like to reflect on Technological and Social issues