Autonomous vehicle companies Zoox and Waymo announce major expansion plans

Amazon subsidiary Zoox has received federal authorization to operate its purpose-built robotaxis, which lack steering wheels and pedals, as a paid service. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted a conditional exemption from federal safety standards that typically require manual controls. While Zoox must still obtain individual state and local permits and maintain remote monitors within the U.S., the company plans to begin paid operations in Las Vegas following a period of free service.

Separately, Alphabet subsidiary Waymo has announced plans to expand its robotaxi fleet from 4,000 vehicles to 20,000 by 2027. Waymo intends to scale its operations beyond its current 15 U.S. cities to international markets, including London, Madrid, and Tokyo, with a Tokyo launch scheduled for 2027. To support this growth, Waymo is utilizing customized electric vehicles from Geely. To navigate regulatory complexities, the company is importing these vehicles and installing its sixth-generation autonomous driving system at a facility in Arizona, ensuring no Chinese-made autonomous software is included in the vehicles.