A company from Foster City, California, has officially launched its robotaxi services for the public in the vibrant city of Las Vegas. The Zoox robotaxi, which is packed with high-tech features like cameras, lidars, radar, and even long-wave infrared sensors, boasts a complete 360-degree view of everything that’s happening on the road.
The vehicle is designed to spot all kinds of road obstacles and even categorize vehicles and other blocks in real time. This tech promises a smooth ride without any surprises!
Predicting Moves: Zoox Robots Anticipate Road Actions
This unmatched robotaxi goes a step further by modeling and predicting how people and vehicles behave on the streets. This predictive capability is all about avoiding potential mishaps before they occur.
“We’ve seen great advancements in the autonomous vehicle world this year, pushing us closer to safer and more accessible transport. With our fully driverless ride-hailing service debuting with our specially designed robotaxi, we’re thrilled to be part of this revolutionary leap,” said Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox.
“Las Vegas, known for its unforgettable experiences, is the perfect place for our launch. Zoox is here to completely change the ride-hailing vibe, making every single ride enjoyable.”
The First All-Autonomous Service
With this launch, Zoox holds the title of being the first company to provide a fully autonomous ride-hailing service. Best of all? Rides are free, and you can book one through the Zoox app.
“Our journey began eleven years ago to completely rethink how we think about transportation. We didn’t just want to make a car that drives itself; we envisioned a whole new transport method,” said Jesse Levinson, Co-Founder and CTO of Zoox.
“After years of hard work in research and development, we’re way too excited to finally share this vision with the public, starting right here in Las Vegas. Today’s launch is just the first step; we can’t wait to expand this safer and more personal way of traveling across the U.S. in the near future.”
Users can jump on the Zoox app and choose from several pick-up locations around the Strip, with options that include Resorts World Las Vegas, AREA15, Topgolf, and more.
Moreover, riders also have the chance to hop onto Zoox’s waitlist for upcoming services in San Francisco, as the company plans to roll out similar robotaxi offerings there soon.
Zoox’s combination of high-tech perception, planning, and crash avoidance technologies marks a significant development in autonomous technology.
The perception system serves as the vehicle’s ‘eyes and ears,’ gathering data to analyze the ever-changing real-world scenarios it encounters. Specifically, the perception software focuses on three major tasks: spotting obstacles, tracking them over time, and understanding their characteristics like speed, direction, and category.
