Prime Highlights
- Amazon’s Zoox has partnered with Uber to offer its driverless robotaxi rides through the Uber app, starting in Las Vegas this summer.
- The companies plan to expand the service to Los Angeles next year, helping Zoox reach more riders through Uber’s platform.
Key Facts
- Zoox has already provided more than 300,000 free driverless rides during testing in areas such as the Las Vegas Strip and parts of San Francisco.
- Uber plans to introduce driverless ride options in 15 cities by the end of 2026 as autonomous mobility services continue to grow.
Background:
Amazon-owned Zoox has entered a multiyear partnership with ride-hailing company Uber to make its driverless robotaxis available through the Uber app in the United States. The company plans to begin offering Zoox rides in Las Vegas this summer, followed by a launch in Los Angeles next year. The move is expected to help Zoox reach a wider group of riders while strengthening Uber’s role in the fast-growing autonomous mobility market.
Under the agreement, Zoox’s self-driving vehicles will be accessible through the Uber platform while the company continues to provide rides through its own application. The collaboration marks Zoox’s first partnership with a third-party ride-hailing platform and signals growing confidence in the company’s progress after several years of development.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, has been testing its purpose-built robotaxis in several locations. The vehicles are often called “toasters” because of their box-like shape.
The company started offering free driverless rides last year around the Las Vegas Strip and in select neighborhoods of San Francisco. Zoox says it has already served more than 300,000 riders during these trials, though it has not yet introduced paid rides.
The partnership also supports Uber’s strategy to position its platform as a major marketplace for autonomous vehicles. During a recent earnings call, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said robotaxis available on the Uber app tend to complete more daily trips than those operating only on independent platforms. According to Uber’s estimates, trips per autonomous vehicle can be about 30 percent higher on its network.
Uber plans to offer driverless rides in 15 cities by the end of 2026. It already runs these services in U.S. cities like Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, and Phoenix, and in some Middle East cities with partners.
Meanwhile, competition in the robotaxi market continues to grow. Alphabet’s Waymo currently leads the sector in the United States and reports hundreds of thousands of weekly rides across several metropolitan areas. Technology companies in Asia, such as Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.AI, are also expanding their services.
