Zoox launches public driverless taxi in Las Vegas with free rides

Amazon-owned Zoox opened its driverless robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas on Wednesday, letting adults hail free rides via the Zoox app between five designated pickup and drop-off points along the Strip and nearby entertainment areas. The launch marks the first time members of the public can request Zoox’s purpose-built, all-electric vehicles, though the company said rides remain complimentary while it seeks regulatory clearance to begin charging fares.

Zoox built its compact, four-passenger taxis from the ground up with no steering wheel or pedals, seating passengers facing one another and allowing the vehicle to travel in either direction without turning around. The company said the vehicles are equipped with an extensive sensor suite, including thermal cameras and four-wheel steering, and can run about 16 hours on a charge. The fleet operating across Las Vegas and San Francisco currently numbers roughly 50 vehicles, Zoox said, and the longest trips in Las Vegas will be about three miles.

The service is limited for now to five stops including Resorts World Las Vegas, AREA15, Topgolf, New York-New York and Luxor, with the company saying it will add destinations in the...