GabyNow the autonomous vehicle is ready to conquer California’s public roads. The official permit for this has already been obtained, which is very important. After all, this is the only robotaxi that is allowed to operate on the state’s highways.
On the outside, the car, measuring about 3.6 meters in length, looks unlike any other vehicle. This cute, shiny box on wheels resembles more of a prototype Mars rover that would transport residents of the Red Planet.
The first trip of the electric robotaxi Zoox on the roads of California took place on February 11 of this year, the publication reported. Designboom Currently, the car without a steering wheel, pedals, and consequently without a driver will transport company employees through the streets of Foster City – from one office building to another. The distance between them is about 1.5 km.
What is special about this smart taxi?
Zoox, which develops autonomous vehicles from scratch, is currently a subsidiary of Amazon. The American tech giant acquired it in 2020 for over $1.2 billion. However, the unique robotic cars have been in development by Zoox engineers since 2014.
The autonomous robotaxi, which navigates on the roads using navigation and sensors, can carry up to four passengers at the same time. Inside, they will sit facing each other. The maneuverability of the electric car is ensured by four wheels that can easily turn. The robotaxi will reach speeds of up to 120 km/h. However, during testing, it did not exceed 56 km/h. This was necessary to thoroughly check how the car makes turns, reacts to pedestrians, traffic lights, bicycles, and other vehicles.
Passengers who are hooked on smartphones don’t need to worry about a dead battery. The comfortable seats are equipped with wireless charging and cup holders. There is a transparent sunroof that lets in natural light during the day and allows for stargazing at night.
The original design of the Zoox vehicle does not have a defined front or rear. Therefore, the taxi can move in any direction, allowing for seamless boarding and disembarking. The robotaxi alerts other road users of a stop or breakdown using a signal light. A fully charged battery enables the vehicle to operate for 16 hours. The Zoox electric car identifies external objects from all sides at a distance of up to 150 meters, helping it avoid collisions.
The company hopes that soon the services of the robot will be available. taxi Not only its employees will benefit from this. The implementation of these plans, which require additional approval from the authorities, has been postponed by the leaders of Zoox until the end of spring.
