Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox is set to begin charging passengers for its robotaxi service in Las Vegas, nearly a year after opening the service to the public.
The company announced that paid rides will commence on August 10 as Zoox moves into commercial operations in the Nevada city.
Zoox, founded in 2014, was created with the goal of developing purpose-built autonomous vehicles alongside the technology and platform needed to provide on-demand transportation. Amazon acquired the company in 2020.
Later that year, Zoox unveiled its distinctive cube-shaped robotaxi, which was designed without a steering wheel or pedals and fitted with multiple sensors and a panoramic roof.
The company has spent several years testing and refining the vehicle while navigating regulatory, technical and funding challenges. It has also faced recalls during the development process.
A major regulatory hurdle was cleared recently after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted Zoox a temporary exemption from some federal vehicle safety requirements.
The exemption allows Zoox to charge passengers for rides because its vehicles do not have several conventional controls covered by existing federal regulations.
Zoox had previously obtained an exemption that allowed it to demonstrate its robotaxis but prevented it from charging customers. The new commercial exemption will remain valid for two years and permits the company to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles.
The exemption covers eight federal motor vehicle safety standards, including requirements related to windshield defrosting and braking systems.
Although Zoox also operates robotaxis in cities such as San Francisco and Austin, passengers in those locations will continue to ride for free for now. In California, the company still requires two additional permits before it can begin commercial operations.
For the Las Vegas service, Zoox said fares will consist of a base charge combined with the distance and time of a journey. Customers will be shown the final price before confirming their booking.
The company said the fare will be determined using the best available route and will remain unchanged if the vehicle later takes a different route.
Additional destination charges may apply to certain journeys, including trips to or from airports and locations hosting major events, such as the Sphere or T-Mobile Arena.
Zoox said it intends to keep its pricing competitive with the “comfort” tier offered by conventional ride-hailing companies.
