Amazon is preparing to manufacture up to 10,000 robotaxis each year at a large plant near Silicon Valley, as it looks to compete with self-driving cab leader Waymo. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also working to enter the autonomous vehicle race. The new robotaxi factory, covering 20,440 square meters, marks a significant step in Amazon's technological venture, which began in 2009 when Waymo started as a secret project within Google. Amazon entered the self-driving market five years ago by acquiring the startup Zoox for USD 1.2 billion. Zoox is set to be the brand behind a robotaxi service that aims to start transporting customers in Las Vegas later this year and plans to expand to San Francisco next year.
Established in 2014, Zoox is now trying to catch up to Waymo, which has been operating robotaxis in Phoenix for nearly five years and began charging for rides in San Francisco in 2023. Waymo has already provided over 10 million paid rides, while Amazon and Tesla are still perfecting their self-driving technologies and addressing challenges such as scaling their fleets.
Zoox manufacturing
Amazon believes it has tackled the manufacturing challenge with Zoox's plant in Hayward, California, which is about 27 kilometers north of Tesla's factory. Since relocating to a former bus manufacturing facility in 2023, Zoox has transformed it into a high-tech site where its distinctive boxy robotaxis are assembled and tested along a 21-station assembly line. Currently, Zoox is producing one robotaxi per day but aims to increase that to three vehicles per hour by next year.
By 2027, Zoox hopes to manufacture 10,000 robotaxis annually at its Hayward facility for use in various major markets including Miami, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. While the assembly will take place in the US, officials indicate that around half of the robotaxi parts will be sourced from abroad.
Unique design
According to Zoox CEO Aicha Evans, this is an exciting time for the company as they embark on this journey. During a recent factory tour she co-hosted with co-founder and CTO Jesse Levinson, Evans highlighted the unique design of their vehicles, which resemble carriages that seat up to four passengers, distinguishing them from Waymo's self-driving vehicles that are built on traditional car models.
Waymo integrates its technology with vehicles from established automakers, resulting in robotaxis that look similar to traditional cars. In contrast, Zoox's robotaxis do not even feature a steering wheel. While testing their vehicles in Las Vegas, Zoox recently partnered with Resorts World to offer rides, and they are also conducting trials in San Francisco, where Waymo's driverless cars have become a common sight.
Last month, during testing in San Francisco, a minor collision occurred between a Zoox robotaxi and an individual on an electric scooter, leading the company to voluntarily recall the robotaxis to update their self-driving technology, though no injuries were reported.
Tesla robotaxis
Tesla is also striving to compete with Waymo, although the timeline for Musk's ambitious plans for a vast robotaxi service remains uncertain. While Musk has tempered his expectations since 2019, when he envisioned a fleet of 1 million robotaxis by now, he is currently focusing on a limited rollout of Tesla robotaxis in Austin this Sunday, though that date may change as he is prioritizing safety.
Zoox plans to operate between 500 to 1,000 robotaxis in small to medium-sized markets, with about 2,000 in major cities where they operate. Evans noted that each robotaxi produced in Hayward is expected to last roughly five years, or around 500,000 miles.
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