Amazon’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, Zoox, is set to significantly expand its robotaxi production in 2026, aiming to accelerate the commercial rollout of its self-driving fleet across the United States. The company plans to open a new manufacturing facility in California’s Bay Area to augment its current operations in Fremont.
Zoox has deployed approximately two dozen of its custom-designed, steering wheel-free vehicles across six U.S. cities. The company intends to initiate public ride services in Las Vegas this year, followed by San Francisco.
Co-founder Jesse Levinson stated that serial production is expected to commence next year, with the potential to scale up to thousands of vehicles. This expansion aligns with President Trump’s initiative to loosen regulations for autonomous vehicles, fostering competition with companies like China’s BYD and U.S. rivals such as Waymo and Tesla.
Despite a recent minor collision in Las Vegas that prompted a voluntary recall, Zoox has resumed testing after implementing software updates. The company, acquired by Amazon for $1.3 billion in 2020, has grown to 2,500 employees and recently leased a 200,000-square-foot office in Foster City.
