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Amazon’s Zoox Launches Free Robotaxi Rides on the Las Vegas Strip

The purpose-built, steering‑wheel‑free shuttles run only between designated pickup zones as regulators weigh approval for paid rides.

Overview

  • Zoox opened limited public service with free trips on and around the Strip, restricted to a handful of partner destinations such as Resorts World, AREA15, Luxor, New YorkNew York and Topgolf.
  • The fleet numbers about 50 purpose‑built, fully driverless vehicles across Las Vegas and San Francisco, with most in Nevada and seating for up to four passengers facing each other.
  • Rides are requested in the Zoox app and begin and end in designated zones where some sites offer on‑site concierges; in‑app and in‑vehicle help buttons connect riders to remote operators.
  • Operational limits include short routes of roughly three miles and speeds up to about 45 mph, reflecting a tightly geofenced launch designed for controlled expansion.
  • NHTSA closed a design‑compliance probe after Zoox agreed to pursue an exemption and granted a demonstration allowance, and the company says San Francisco will open to riders soon with Miami, Austin, Atlanta and Los Angeles to follow later this year and next.