Amazon Just Launched Its Zoox Robotaxis In Las Vegas And We Took A Ride

Five years after its $1.3 billion acquisition of Zoox, Amazon has officially entered the U.S. robotaxi race, which to date has been dominated by Alphabet’s Waymo. Zoox’s first public launch kicks off today on the Las Vegas strip. The company is offering free rides from a few select locations, with plans to expand more broadly across the city in the coming months. Riders will eventually have to pay, but Zoox said it’s waiting on regulatory approval to take that step. Amazon is jumping into a market that’s all about the future, but one where Waymo has a major head start, having offered commercial driverless rides since 2020 in multiple cities around the U.S. Tesla, meanwhile, began testing a limited robotaxi service in Austin in June, though with human supervisors on board. But unlike Waymo and Tesla, Zoox’s electric robotaxi doesn’t resemble a car. There’s no steering wheel or pedals. Zoox has spent the past decade developing the symmetrical EV, which it manufactures in California. CNBC’s Salvador Rodriguez got an exclusive ride along in the autonomous vehicle with Zoox co-founder and technology chief Jesse Levinson, and spoke with Zoox CEO Aicha Evans, to find out why this launch is such a big step for the company. Senior Director: Jeniece Pettitt Produced by: Andrew Evers Edited by: Nic Golden Henry Reporter: Salvador Rodriguez Additional Editing: Erin Black Animation: Jason Reginato Additional Footage: Zoox, Getty Images » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Watch CNBC on the go with CNBC+: https://www.cnbc.com/WatchCNBCPlus About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Want to stand out, grow your network, and get more job opportunities? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How to Build a Standout Personal Brand: Online, In Person, and At Work. Sign up today: https://cnb.cx/4nUBgbA Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC Follow CNBC on Threads: https://cnb.cx/threads Follow CNBC News on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC on WhatsApp: https://cnb.cx/WhatsAppCNBC #CNBC Amazon Just Launched Its Zoox Robotaxis In Las Vegas And We Took A Ride