As a result of the improvements in the autonomous vehicle sector, a company in the United States has announced that it plans to have 10,000 Robotaxis on US roads soon. The regulatory issues surrounding autonomous vehicles have hindered the adoption of self-driving technology in modern-day society. Thanks to some massive investments and considerable arm-twisting, the regulations have been eased as the technology has improved. Now, one state in the United States will soon see at least 10,000 Robotaxis on its roads.
Autonomous vehicles have faced some major speed bumps on the road.
As with most technological innovations in recent memory, the major benefactor behind the autonomous vehicle has been Elon Musk. He promised to deliver a fleet of Robotaxis that was going to revolutionize personal mobility in some of the busiest cities in the world. However, as with nearly all Musk’s claims, the tech was far off and faced a mountain of red tape to navigate before being accepted as safe.
As time passed, the governments of the world eased their hesitance towards the autonomous vehicle that by now had made leaps and bounds in efficiency and practicality. As a result of the relaxation of regulations, many major cities in the US and the rest of the world have now allowed fully autonomous vehicles to operate on their roads.
The market has accepted the autonomous vehicle, well, sort of.
When Waymo entered the scene following a surprise backing from Google, the autonomous vehicle went from being something out of a sci-fi film to an actual, real car driving around the world’s major metropolises. The success has led to another trillion-dollar company deciding to make a huge investment in the sector as well. And they claim to deliver 10,000 Robotaxis soon.
Who is responsible for these 10,000 Robotaxis, and where can I find one?
Certain markets in the world serve as a great barometer for new tech and services that have long-term plans to expand into more diverse sectors. The world’s warm embrace of the electric vehicle has led to advancements in the autonomous vehicle, and we are on the cusp of it becoming the norm on the roads of the world. With this major investment, one state in the US is facing that reality.
A new Robotaxi factory is coming from a very familiar source.
Amazon has opened a truly enormous Robotaxi factory in Hayward, California, near Silicon Valley. Bezos and his counterparts made the plunge into the market five years ago when they acquired self-driving startup Zoox for an eye-watering $1.2 billion. Zoox bought the former bus manufacturing factory in Hayward, California, in 2023 and transformed it into a high-tech facility that they claim will make 10,000 robotaxis annually.
California is the home of the weird and wonderful, and these new Robotaxis from Amazon will be rolling around the California roads sooner rather than later. Zoox CEO Aicha Evans has the following to say:
“It’s an exciting time to be heading on this journey.”
Will Californians accept the new Robotaxi from Amazon?
The market is open for Zoox to make a significant success of its venture into the Robotaxi world. The competition might have a head start, but Zoox has the backing of Jeff Bezos, and in today’s world, that has got to count for something. The new factory is reportedly the equivalent of three-and-a-half football fields. Zoox is so confident in its tech that it isn’t even bothering to put a steering wheel in its Robotaxis. We wonder how the tariffs might affect them, as half of the parts are imported from outside the country. If the California adventure is successful, Zoox plans to expand into other markets like Miami, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
