Zoox has announced plans to begin testing its self-driving cars in Austin, Texas, and Miami, Florida. This expansion marks the first trial sites for Zoox outside the western United States, signaling the company’s commitment to advancing its autonomous driving technology.
The testing will involve Zoox’s fleet of retrofitted Toyota Highlanders, equipped with human safety drivers, operating in small areas near the business and entertainment districts of both cities. These vehicles are part of Zoox’s initial testing phase and will not offer public rides at this stage.
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In California and Nevada, Zoox has been conducting tests with its self-designed autonomous vehicles, which are built without steering wheels and pedals and can accommodate four passengers, with two facing each other.
The decision to expand testing to Austin and Miami comes as Zoox faces scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) following two crashes involving 500 Zoox vehicles equipped with automated driving systems.
Despite these challenges, Zoox is continuing its expansion efforts, with Austin and Miami becoming the fourth and fifth public testing locations for the company. Zoox has already established operations in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Seattle.
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Looking ahead, Zoox is exploring several cities for commercial offerings after its initial launch in its target markets of Las Vegas and San Francisco. The company aims to join the ranks of self-driving robotaxi companies like General Motors’ Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo, which have also faced NHTSA investigations regarding the performance of autonomous driving cars.
Cruise recently resumed operations in Dallas, Texas, with a small fleet of human drivers after pausing operations due to an incident in San Francisco involving one of its robotaxis in October last year.
