Why 2025 will be a critical year for Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi unit

This year is slated to be a watershed moment for Amazon’s autonomous car unit Zoox, as the company seeks to expand its operations and market its robotaxi service.

Zoox plans to start selling rides to the public «quite soon,» extend its operational territories, and «significantly» grow its self-driving vehicle fleet from the couple dozen it now operates by 2025, according to co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Jesse Levinson.

Zoox’s plans come even as some investors have lost enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles, and they’re not alone as legacy automakers such as General Motors, Ford Motor and Volkswagen have disbanded self-driving units in recent years.

Zoox, founded a decade ago and purchased by Amazon for $1.3 billion in 2020, has been testing its purpose-built robotaxis on public roads since early 2023. It is currently testing the vehicles, which do not include manual controls such as a steering wheel or pedals, in three cities: Las Vegas; San Francisco; and Foster City, California, where it is headquartered.

The Zoox robotaxi differs from others in that it was designed from the beginning to not have a human driver. Alphabet-backed Waymo, the U.S. leader in robotaxis, has equipped traditional vehicles with autonomous capabilities, which differs from this approach.