View source for ZOOX Deploying Purpose-Built Robotaxi on Open Public Roads

{{News
|Image=ZOOXontheroad.jpg
|Published=2023-02-13
|Organization=ZOOX
|poc=Melissa Marasco
|Where=Foster City CA
|Summary=Autonomous Mobility-as-a-Service company, Zoox, today announced it completed a key milestone: deploying the world’s first purpose-built robotaxi on open public roads with passengers. On February 11, 2023, Zoox conducted the first run of its employee shuttle service in Foster City, California, marking the first time in history a purpose-built autonomous robotaxi without traditional driving controls carried passengers on open public roads.
|Display=Yes
|sector=Transportation
|chapter=Autonomous Vehicles
|Release=Zoox-press-release-immediate-release.pdf
}}
To reach this milestone, Zoox completed rigorous testing on private roads and received approval from the
California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to operate its robotaxi on the state’s public roads. To date, Zoox is
the only purpose-built robotaxi permitted on California public roads that is self-certified to the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Zoox’s ground-up design, which does not include traditional driving controls
such as a steering wheel or pedals, incorporated FMVSS performance requirements directly into its vehicle and
added more than 100 safety innovations not available in today’s passenger cars.

“Becoming the first company to operate a purpose-built robotaxi with passengers on open public roads in
California is a significant milestone in not only Zoox’s journey, but for the autonomous vehicle industry at large,”
said Aicha Evans, Chief Executive Officer at Zoox. “Today, with the announcement of the maiden run of our
autonomous employee shuttle, we are adding to the progress this industry has seen over the last year and
bringing Zoox one step closer to a commercialized purpose-built robotaxi service for the general public.”

Following the completion of its historic first run, Zoox will deploy its employee shuttle service in its headquarters
of Foster City, California. The employee shuttle service will be offered exclusively to all Zoox full-time employees.
The robotaxi is capable of transporting up to four people at a time on a public route between Zoox’s two main
office buildings, traveling up to 35 mph, and handling left-hand and right-hand turns, bi-directional turns, traffic
lights, cyclists, pedestrians, vehicles, and other road agents on this route.

“The founding premise of Zoox was that the best way to advance transportation and increase safety on our
roadways was to reimagine the full mobility experience. That means going beyond retrofitting today’s passenger
vehicles with autonomous technology,” said Jesse Levinson, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Zoox. “It
is a feat of design and engineering – and the culmination of years of hard work – to drive a purpose-built vehicle,
fully autonomously and without safety drivers. With the ability to operate our vehicle on public roads and the
deployment of our employee shuttle service, we’ll continue to refine and improve our technology and operations
as we prepare for our commercial service launch.”

In compliance with the California DMV permit, Zoox will first provide its service to its employees. As the company
continues to advance its progress and secure additional government clearances, it will expand its service to the
general public. To stay up-to-date on the latest news from Zoox and to be the first to hear about its future public
service launch, visit zoox.com.

;About Zoox
Based in Foster City, CA, Zoox is reinventing personal transportation—making the future safer, cleaner, and more
enjoyable for everyone. Its vision for mobility goes beyond the vehicle itself to include a comprehensive and
cohesive autonomous mobility service, including charging and maintenance infrastructure and fleet
management tools, in addition to vehicle software and hardware. This full-stack approach enables a more
comprehensive, rider-focused deployment of the Zoox vision for urban mobility. Zoox is an independent
subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc.