The technology for self-driving cars has been in development for decades. Now, Amazon’s self-driving startup Zoox Inc. just proved that these vehicles might be coming about sooner than we think.
Zoox’s first self-driving car carried passengers in its fully autonomous vehicle on public roads for the first time.
What happened during the test drive?
The test drive took place on February 11, 2023, in Foster City, California. The vehicle is being referred to as the Zoox Robotaxi and drove a mile-long route carrying employees from Zoox between the company’s two main buildings at its headquarters.
It can currently carry up to 4 people at a time and can go as fast as 35 miles per hour. It does not have a steering wheel, yet it navigates left and right-hand turns, bidirectional turns, stoplights, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other vehicles on the road.
Credit: Zoox
How is the Zoox Robotaxi allowed to drive on public roads?
Zoox acquired a driverless testing permit from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles back in September 2020. The company’s public-road testing has been limited to a fleet of retrofitted gas-powered cars that carry sensors powering the self-driving technology.
The permit was extended to include the robotaxi so that the company could begin test-driving it. As of now, Zoox will only be using the vehicle to shuttle employees to buildings at Zoox headquarters.
Credit: Zoox
What does this mean for the future of driving?
Zoox is still testing its vehicles and making sure that they are safe enough to drive on public roads. A press release from Zoox states, “In compliance with the California DMV permit, Zoox will first provide its service to its employees. As the company continues to advance its progress and secure additional government clearances, it will expand its service to the general public.”
Zoox is certainly ahead of the game versus other companies like Tesla and General Motors when it comes to self-driving cars. However, it’s hard to say when these vehicles will become available to the public. For now, we’ll have to see how the Zoox employees enjoy this advanced technology.
How do you feel about self-driving cars? Let us know your thoughts.
Credit: Zoox
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