Zoox to Test Autonomous Vehicles in Atlanta

Zoox to Initiate Autonomous Vehicle Testing in Atlanta, Georgia

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle division of Amazon, is preparing to commence trials of its self-driving technology in Atlanta, Georgia. This phase of testing is a crucial step towards ultimately providing commercial autonomous rides to the public within the city limits.

Mapping and Initial Stages

According to a statement released to TechCrunch on Tuesday, Zoox has successfully finished the preliminary mapping procedures within Atlanta. Autonomous driving operations are scheduled to begin later this summer.

Expansion of Testing Locations

Atlanta represents the seventh U.S. city where Zoox is currently evaluating its vehicles. This announcement follows closely on the heels of a similar declaration from Waymo, in collaboration with Uber, regarding the initiation of robotaxi services for a select group of users in Atlanta, with a broader public launch anticipated this summer.

A Phased Rollout Strategy

Zoox is implementing a carefully planned and deliberate strategy for the introduction of its robotaxi service. Similar to its approach in other locations, the company initially utilized modified Toyota Highlanders to meticulously document road infrastructure and traffic control elements.

Only after completing these data collection steps does Zoox proceed to test its autonomous vehicle systems within a given area.

Progress Towards Driverless Operation

The company has already advanced to the stage of testing its specifically designed robotaxi without the presence of a safety driver in California cities such as Foster City and San Francisco. Testing is also underway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Zoox intends to offer public rides in its robotaxi in both San Francisco and Las Vegas before the close of the current year.

Ongoing Refinement and Software Updates

As an integral part of this developmental process, Zoox is actively addressing and resolving issues within its autonomous vehicle technology. The company issued recalls in both March and May, prompted by software updates designed to rectify problems identified during testing by its self-driving fleet.

Note: This article has been updated to incorporate additional details provided by Zoox, beyond the information contained in their initial press release, regarding the completion of mapping and data acquisition in Atlanta.