What Zoox, the robotaxi that Amazon is seeking to implement across the United States, looks like

Zooxlonliness com. robotaxi Amazonannounced that it will begin testing its self-driving vehicles in Austin (Texas) and Miami. This will be the first time the company has conducted tests outside the western United States.

Initial tests will lead to the deployment of a fleet of vehicles Toyota Highlanders The company said in a statement that it has been equipped with human safety drivers in limited areas near business and entertainment areas in both cities.

This expansion of the test occurs during National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Zoox is investigating 500 vehicles equipped with automated driving systems after two accidents were reported. in California and NevadaZoox has tested its own self-driving vehicles specially designed to have no steering wheels or pedals and with room for four passengers, arranged two facing each other. “We are expanding our testing to collect more data and evaluate performance in various urban conditions.”A Zoox spokesperson announced.

In parallel, other robotics companies, e.g Sea tripfrom General Motors, and Waymofrom Alphabet, is also being investigated by the NHTSA regarding the performance of its self-driving vehicles. “Safety is our first priority and we are fully cooperating with the investigation.”A Cruz spokesman said. For its part, Cruise recently resumed its operations in Dallas With a small fleet of vehicles with human drivers, after it temporarily suspended its activities due to an incident in San Francisco in October last year.

Austin And Miami They become Zoox's fourth and fifth public testing sites already operational San Francisco, Las vigas And Seattle. “These cities represent a new chapter for us, bringing us closer to our business goals,” Zoox said in its statement. Although they will not be offering rides to the public in these new cities at this time, they are exploring several locations for potential retail offerings after the initial planned launch in Las Vegas and San Francisco.

This move by Zoox highlights the company's growth and ambitions in the autonomous mobility sector, where testing in different cities is essential to adapt the technology to diverse urban contexts. “Our vehicles are designed to adapt and learn from every environment.” A Zoox representative confirmed.

Testing in Austin and Miami will mainly focus on driving in crowded urban areas and dealing with complex traffic situations. Testing at multiple sites allows for the collection of a variety of data critical to perfecting the technology being used.

Zoox is an all-electric vehicle designed to carry up to four passengers. Its design is completely autonomous, which is why it lacks a steering wheel and a driver's seat, features that represent an innovation in urban mobility. “Zoox will provide mobility services in densely populated urban environments. We will take care of the driving, charging, maintenance and upgrades of our vehicle fleet. The user will simply pay for the service”The company states on its official website.

The automated taxi is characterized by its ability to drive in both directions and four-wheel steering, which allows it to maneuver easily in tight spaces without the need to reverse. In addition, it is equipped with a series of cameras, radars and sensors. Drove Located at the four corners of the body, it provides 360 degree coverage and eliminates blind spots. “The field of vision reaches 150 meters in all directions, even in corners, which provides safety on the road.” According to Zoox.

Among other safety features, the robotaxi integrates an airbag system in each of its four seats and an advanced prediction system based on machine learning. This technology allows us to anticipate the actions of other vehicles and pedestrians, facilitating safe autonomous driving in densely populated urban environments. because of “The system that integrates machine learning algorithms is able to distinguish between humans, objects, cars and other items.” Zoox explained.

A company spokesperson said the car has the ability to reach a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) and contains a 133 kWh battery that allows it to operate for up to 16 hours on a single charge. Robotaxi tests are already underway Las vigasNevada, and San Francisco, California. These tests are necessary to improve the self-driving system and provide the artificial intelligence system with hours of training.

In terms of user experience, Zoox robotaxi provides options to set music and check arrival time and flight route. Zoox It plans to launch an app that will give users access to this innovative transportation service. However, the exact date of its opening to the public has not yet been determined.

Zoox was founded in 2014 by Jesse Levinson and Tim Kentley Clay, and began developing and testing prototypes in its early years. In 2015, they conducted their first proof of concept, and a year later they made improvements to the design and functionality. In 2017, one of its vehicles completed the first fully autonomous driving test in San Francisco. Refers to the company blog.