Zoox Partners with Routable for Routing Software

From Ride-Sharing to Robotaxis: The Routing Company Partners with Zoox

Following his departure from Uber in 2019, where he previously led the Uber Pool ride-share product, James Cox observed the company’s decision to discontinue its autonomous vehicle development and divest the associated division. He recognized a significant, unrealized potential: adapting the foundational technology of Uber Pool for application in the realm of robotaxis.

The Routing Company's Evolution

For the past five years, Cox has been at the helm of The Routing Company, a startup focused on optimizing rider-to-vehicle matching for transit agencies, enhancing both speed and cost-effectiveness. To date, the company has facilitated over 3 million trips spanning 13 U.S. states and five countries.

A Landmark Deal with Zoox

The Routing Company has now secured its inaugural client in the robotaxi sector: Zoox.

An agreement announced on Wednesday details a nonexclusive license for The Routing Company’s technology to be purchased by Zoox. Furthermore, five engineers from the startup will join Zoox to bolster the “efficiency and scalability” of its emerging robotaxi service.

Cox's Role and Technology Ownership

Cox will assume the position of senior advisor to Mike White, Zoox’s chief product officer. However, he will maintain his role as CEO of The Routing Company. Any novel technological advancements developed by the engineers within Zoox will remain the property of the Amazon-owned entity. The financial specifics of the agreement were not disclosed by either company.

Industry Trend: Outsourcing for Robotaxi Deployment

This collaboration exemplifies a growing trend within the robotaxi industry – an increasing reliance on external expertise as companies begin deploying real-world fleets. Waymo has recently established operational partnerships with companies such as Uber and Avis. Similarly, Nuro, a delivery startup, contracted with Toyota-backed Foretellix last year to reduce research and development expenditures through outsourced simulation work.

Scaling Positive Impact

“I’m hopeful that this deal enables us to scale the positive impacts of our technology within what will be a very fast expansion in the robotaxi space,” Cox stated in an exclusive interview with TechCrunch. Zoox echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence that the new team members will contribute to its scaling efforts. The company intends to launch its early-rider program in San Francisco and initiate paid public rides in Las Vegas later this year.

Rewarding Challenges and Future Speed

Cox highlighted the fulfilling yet demanding nature of his company’s work with transit agencies.

However, he expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with robotaxi companies due to their accelerated pace of development. “I think the speed of getting the technology and its benefits out there to more people will potentially be faster on the autonomous vehicle side,” he explained.

The Importance of Route Optimization

Cox believes that sophisticated route optimization software is crucial for establishing a large-scale robotaxi network, describing it as a “really important but unloved component of both the AV stack and the ride-sharing stack.” He also emphasized the inherent complexity of achieving optimal results.

“Imagine playing chess in four dimensions, and the board was melting, the pieces move themselves, and there was a cost to moving every piece — and you have to do all of that in real time,” Cox illustrated. “Any player that doesn’t take all into account all that chaos in a live manner will always struggle.”