The Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first factory for building robotaxis, a step toward launching its commercial ride service in the U.S.
Zoox announced the opening of the 220,000-square-foot facility in Hayward, California, on Wednesday. At full capacity, the plant can assemble over 10,000 vehicles a year, though no specific starting figures were shared.
Zoox plans to begin commercial service in Las Vegas later this year, followed by San Francisco, where it is already testing in the South of Market neighborhood. The company said public riders would be added soon, and the new facility will support expected demand and future expansion into other cities.
The launch will put Zoox in direct competition with Alphabet’s Waymo and Tesla. Waymo has been operating driverless taxis for several years and continues to grow its service in multiple cities. Tesla plans to start its paid robotaxi service on June 22 using modified Model Y SUVs with self-driving software and later introduce a new two-seat vehicle called the Cybercab.
Zoox vehicles differ from competitors because they are built from the ground up for autonomy. They have no steering wheel or pedals and are shaped like small boxes.
In contrast, Waymo adds technology to existing vehicles, and Tesla’s current robotaxis are based on standard production cars.
All three companies have faced challenges in rolling out self-driving technology, including high costs, regulatory hurdles, and safety concerns. Each has also been subject to federal investigations and recalls after vehicle incidents.
