Zoox Selects Washington D.C. for Autonomous Vehicle Testing

Zoox Expands Autonomous Vehicle Testing to Washington, D.C.

Zoox, a company owned by Amazon, is initiating street mapping in Washington, D.C. This action signifies preparation for the commencement of testing its self-driving vehicles within the nation's capital later this year.

Initial Mapping Phase

According to a blog post released by Zoox on Tuesday, the initial phase will involve manually driven Toyota Highlanders. These vehicles will be equipped with the company’s advanced sensors and self-driving software to meticulously map the city’s roadways.

The company intends to begin on-road testing of its fully autonomous vehicles – with trained safety operators present – before the end of the current year.

Strategic Location Choice

“The District presents an ideal location for the next stage of our development,” Zoox stated in its official blog. “Its expanding population and the increasing need for adaptable transportation solutions make it an optimal environment for testing and refining our technology on the East Coast.”

Fleet Size and Expansion

While Zoox has not disclosed the exact number of autonomous vehicles that will be deployed for testing, a company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that operations will begin with a limited fleet.

This fleet is expected to grow incrementally as testing progresses and data is collected.

Expanding Test Sites

Since its inception in 2014, Zoox has broadened its operational scope beyond Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. Currently, the company operates hundreds of test vehicles across various locations.

• Austin
• Atlanta
• Los Angeles
• Las Vegas
• Miami
• San Francisco
• Seattle

Washington, D.C. will become the eighth official test site for Zoox’s autonomous driving technology.

Robotaxi Service Development

Zoox is actively developing a commercial robotaxi service utilizing its fleet of uniquely designed robotaxis. These vehicles are engineered without conventional controls such as steering wheels or pedals.

A free robotaxi service was recently launched in Las Vegas, a key market where Zoox has maintained a presence and conducted testing since 2019.

Testing of the custom self-driving vehicles also commenced in San Francisco last November.

Regulatory Approvals and Future Plans

The ultimate goal for the company is to introduce a commercial robotaxi service in multiple markets. However, this requires fulfilling specific regulatory criteria.

This includes obtaining an exemption from the federal government to allow the commercial deployment of its custom, driverless vehicles.

Progress with NHTSA

Significant progress has been made in this area. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted Zoox an exemption in August.

This exemption permits the demonstration of its custom-built robotaxis on public roads, although currently limited to research and demonstration purposes.

Zoox has subsequently submitted a further application to broaden the scope of the exemption, potentially clearing the path for the launch of a full-scale commercial robotaxi service.