Zoox tests wheel‑less robotaxi
Zoox began public testing of a bidirectional, no‑steering‑wheel robotaxi on Austin streets — a design that rethinks vehicle packaging for passengers, accessibility, and last‑mile delivery. The test shows OEMs experimenting with vehicle form‑factors tailored to autonomy rather than retrofitting conventionals. (x.com)
Zoox says it will add Miami to its deployment footprint and open waitlists for early riders, with limited, staged rides planned later this year as the company moves from internal-only trips to broader customer access. (bloomberg.com)) The purpose-built vehicle’s packaging is compact—about 3.63 meters long—with four-wheel steering and a face‑to‑face, four‑seat interior served by subway‑style sliding doors designed to simplify curb pickups in dense urban blocks. (iot-automotive.news)) Zoox has petitioned NHTSA for a temporary exemption from eight Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to enable deployment of steering‑wheel‑free, ADS‑equipped vehicles and the agency opened a public comment docket that closes April 10, 2026. (federalregister.gov)) The company’s safety record has attracted federal scrutiny: NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation in May 2024 over sudden hard‑braking incidents, and Zoox subsequently filed a voluntary recall covering 258 vehicles to roll out a software update. (static.nhtsa.gov)) Bloomberg reports Zoox is scaling cautiously—targeting roughly 100 robotaxis in expanded markets in the near term, while its Fremont factory is rated to produce about 10,000 vehicles per year if scaled up. (bloomberg.com)) Initial rollouts will operate inside geofenced “small areas” with rides offered through the Zoox app at no charge during the early phase, and the company has already begun integrating its fleet with partners such as Uber for selected markets. (cnbc.com))
