Amazon’s Zoox launches its robotaxi service in Las Vegas

Summary

Amazon-owned Zoox has launched a public robotaxi service in Las Vegas after two years of local testing. Initially available only to employees, friends and family, the service is now open to anyone with the Zoox app and covers five designated pickup/drop-off points including Resorts World, the Luxor and New York-New York. Trips are limited to roughly 3 miles (4.8 km) and vehicles carry up to four passengers. Rides will be free for at least the first few months while Zoox promotes the service; once fares begin they will be comparable to traditional taxis and ride-hailing services.

Zoox builds its own distinctive, wheel-less robotaxis at a former bus factory in Hayward, California, rather than retrofitting conventional cars. The company, acquired by Amazon five years ago for $1.2 billion, currently operates about 50 vehicles across Las Vegas and San Francisco and plans to scale production substantially — targeting as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually — as it expands to other cities such as San Francisco (broader rollout next year), Austin and Miami.

Key Points

Zoox has started public driverless taxi service in Las Vegas after two years of testing.
Initial rides are free for several months to promote adoption; fares will later match taxi/ride-hail pricing.
Service covers five set locations and trips are limited to about 3 miles (4.8 km); vehicles seat up to four passengers.
Zoox manufactures purpose-built robotaxis in Hayward, California, rather than using modified conventional cars.
The company was acquired by Amazon five years ago for $1.2 billion and is leveraging that backing to subsidise early service.
Approximately 50 vehicles are currently operational in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Zoox aims to scale production (ambition: up to 10,000 units a year) and expand to more US cities, competing with Waymo.

Why should I read this?

Short and blunt: free driverless rides on the Strip mean robotaxis are moving from testing to real-world service. If you follow transport tech, travel trends or Big Tech moves, this is the sort of development that changes where and how people get around — and it shows how Amazon’s backing can accelerate rollouts. Worth knowing whether you’re planning a Vegas trip or tracking the future of mobility.