Autonomous vehicle company Zoox is launching its robotaxi service in Austin this week, marking the latest expansion of driverless technology in Central Texas.
Zoox, an Amazon-owned company, says it will begin operating its self-driving vehicles on Austin streets as part of a limited rollout. Initially, rides will be restricted to employees, along with friends and family, before eventually opening to the public.
The move positions Austin as a growing hub for autonomous transportation, with multiple companies already testing or operating driverless vehicles in the city.
Unlike some competitors, Zoox has developed a purpose-built robotaxi rather than modifying existing cars.
The company’s vehicles are fully autonomous, with no steering wheel or pedals, and feature inward-facing seating designed more like a lounge than a traditional car.
Zoox says its vehicles rely on a combination of cameras, radar, and lidar sensors to navigate city streets and are designed to operate at lower speeds in dense urban environments.
The Austin launch is part of a larger nationwide push by Zoox to expand its footprint beyond its current operations in cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas.
The company has logged nearly 2 million autonomous miles and carried more than 350,000 passengers to date, as it looks to compete in a rapidly growing robotaxi market.
Zoox is also preparing to launch services in Miami and expand testing in several other U.S. cities.
Austin has quickly become a testing ground for autonomous vehicles, thanks in part to Texas’ relatively flexible regulatory environment.
Companies like Waymo and Tesla have already launched limited robotaxi services in the city, with additional firms exploring expansion into the region.
As more driverless vehicles hit Austin roads, questions remain about safety, oversight, and how the technology will integrate with human drivers.
Supporters say autonomous vehicles could reduce traffic accidents and improve mobility, while critics point to recent incidents involving self-driving systems nationwide as reason for caution.
Zoox says the Austin rollout will begin in a testing phase, with plans to gradually expand access as the technology is refined and regulatory approvals progress.
A broader public launch is expected later this year, though no specific timeline has been announced.
