Amazon-owned Zoox will begin offering rides in its purpose-built robotaxi to members of the public in Miami later this year, capping nearly two years of mapping and on-road testing in the city. The company announced the Miami launch alongside a parallel rollout in Austin and expanded service zones in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Initial Miami access will be limited to employees and their family and friends before opening to a public waitlist through the Zoox Explorer program.
Highlights
- Miami and Austin become the third and fourth public-rider markets after Las Vegas and San Francisco
- Rides remain free pending NHTSA approval to operate up to 2,500 vehicles commercially
- Zoox reports nearly 2 million autonomous miles and more than 350,000 riders to date
- New ETA engine, pre-booking estimates, “Find My Zoox,” and ZooxCast Bluetooth audio roll out fleet-wide
Phased Miami Deployment
Zoox plans to deploy a small fleet of its bidirectional, purpose-built robotaxi — a vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals and carriage-style seating — in a limited Miami service area. Rides will first go to Zoox employees and their families, mirroring the playbook used in Las Vegas and San Francisco. The Explorer program will then open a public waitlist before broader access.
The Amazon subsidiary has tested adapted vehicles in Miami since mid-2024, gathering data on the city’s road geometry, traffic patterns, and weather. Miami’s frequent thunderstorms have served as a real-world stress test for the perception and planning stack.
Year of Growth
“This expansion marks a significant step forward for Zoox and is driven by the insights from our early deployments,” said Aicha Evans, Zoox CEO. “This is our year of growth. We are actively implementing learnings to confidently and safely scale our robotaxi service across the country and bring our differentiated experience to even more riders.”
Co-founder and CTO Jesse Levinson reiterated the case for custom hardware: “Since our inception in 2014, we’ve strongly believed that a purpose-built approach is the best way to solve the challenge of autonomy and offer a wonderful experience.”
Operational Footprint and Regulatory Status
Across all markets, Zoox plans to have approximately 100 robotaxis on public roads as it scales Las Vegas and San Francisco and begins Austin and Miami operations. The company has logged nearly two million autonomous miles and carried more than 350,000 riders since its first public Las Vegas rides, with about 500,000 people on its waitlist.
All rides remain free. Zoox is awaiting a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decision on its petition to operate up to 2,500 vehicles commercially under exemptions from certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The NHTSA opened a 30-day public comment period on March 11, after which the agency will issue its determination. Approval would clear the path to paid service, including a planned Uber partnership in Las Vegas this summer.
Rider Experience Updates
Alongside the geographic expansion, Zoox is rolling out product updates informed by early-deployment data:
- Updated ETA engine: more accurate arrival predictions and reduced wait times
- Pre-booking estimates: trip details previewed before booking confirmation
- Find My Zoox: distinct lighting and sound cues to help riders identify their vehicle in crowded pickup zones
- ZooxCast: Bluetooth audio streaming from personal devices alongside curated Stingray Music playlists
The Foster City, California–based company also announced a serial production facility in Hayward, California, in September 2025 to scale fleet output. Beyond the four named rider markets, Zoox continues to test in additional U.S. cities including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Phoenix. The Las Vegas service area is being extended to include Harry Reid International Airport, T-Mobile Arena, and the Sphere.
The Miami launch lands in an increasingly contested market. Waymo opened public service in Miami earlier this year and is rolling out highway driving on an opt-in basis, while Uber has announced plans to deploy Rivian R2 robotaxis in Miami beginning in 2028.
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