Amazon robotaxis to begin testing in Miami and Austin: What you need to know

Modified Toyota Highlanders will be used in the new tests. (AMAZON)

ZooxAmazon’s autonomous vehicle division, has announced that it will begin testing its taxis robot in Austin, Texasy Miamimarking its first test sites outside the western United States. The company will deploy a fleet of Toyota Highlander modified, with human safety drivers, in commercial and entertainment areas in both cities.

Reuters reported that the line has already tested its autonomous vehicles without steering wheel or pedals in California y Nevadawhich have capacity for four passengers, with two sitting face to face.

This expansion to both states added two new locations to existing locations in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle, making them the fourth and fifth public testing locations.

The initiative of Zoox comes at a time when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the performance of 500 of the brand’s vehicles equipped with automated driving systems, following two accidents.

Market Watch He added that in both incidents, one in San Francisco and another outside Las Vegasthe vehicles Zoox Highlander in autonomous mode they apparently braked suddenly, being hit by motorcycles.

INC He stressed that for now the division will not offer public tours in Austin y Miamialthough it is exploring several cities to offer merchant services after its initial launch in its target markets of Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Zoox’s autonomous taxis will be staffed by human safety drivers. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Ron Thanielsenior director of policy and regulatory affairs at Zoox, said in a statement: “We are laying the groundwork for our autonomous ride-hailing service in new cities across the country. USA”.

Also, another self-driving taxi company, Cruise de General Motorshas also faced investigations by the NHTSArelated to the performance of their self-driving cars.

According to INCCruise mentioned that it has resumed its operations in Dallas with a small fleet of human drivers after a break following an incident in San Francisco in October last year.

Expansion in Austin and Miami aims to support Zoox’s growth.

Zoox He stressed that their operations are regulated in such a way that they work closely with local authorities, regulators and residents to ensure a safe and smooth integration in these cities.

In conclusion, this expansion marks a significant step forward in the technology space in vehicles and autonomous driving. As Thaniel noted to Market Watch, “Austin and Miami offer key learning opportunities that will support the continued growth and refinement of our testing and services.”