Zoox Begins Manual Mapping for Autonomous Vehicle Testing in Los Angeles

The Amazon-owned company expands its operations to a sixth city, deploying retrofitted vehicles with safety drivers as it prepares for future public robotaxi services.

• Zoox has launched testing operations in Los Angeles, its sixth city for autonomous vehicle trials, using retrofitted Toyota Highlanders with safety drivers for manual mapping.
• This initial phase aims to gather critical data on local driving conditions before transitioning to autonomous operations, planned for later this year.
• The move follows Zoox's recent voluntary recall of 258 vehicles to address a software issue causing unexpected hard braking, highlighting its focus on safety and regulatory compliance.
• Zoox has already conducted autonomous testing in cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, Austin, and Miami, gradually expanding its operational footprint.
• The company plans to begin offering public autonomous rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco later this year, with Los Angeles and other cities targeted for future service expansions.

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