Zoox Partners with Uber for Las Vegas Robotaxis

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox announced plans this week to integrate its robotaxis into the Uber ride-hailing app in Las Vegas later this year, marking its first partnership with a third-party platform. The multi-year collaboration, revealed on Wednesday, also includes future expansion to Los Angeles by 2027. Separately, on Monday, Zoox detailed its testing expansion into Phoenix and Dallas, bringing its total U.S. markets to 10.

The Uber partnership hinges on Zoox securing federal approval to deploy its purpose-built robotaxis commercially. These vehicles lack traditional steering wheels or pedals, requiring exemptions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Zoox currently operates under a demonstration exemption, offering free rides to the public in Las Vegas and to select participants in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company has served more than 300,000 riders and logged over 1 million autonomous miles to date.

On Wednesday, the NHTSA opened a 30-day public comment period on Zoox's application for exemptions from eight standards, including those for windshield wipers and defrosting systems. Officials...