Zoox Robotaxis Cruise into Vegas – Is That Good Or Bad?
Image Credit: Zoox.
Let's talk about the future of NOT driving. The future of being driven, but by something that doesn't have a name, a pulse, or indeed, an urgent need to get to the end of its shift. I'm talking, of course, about robotaxis, and the latest shenanigans coming to us from the city of Las Vegas.
I've always had a healthy relationship with technology. I love the whizz-bangery of electric motors, the sheer, silent shove they give you. It's brilliant. But autonomous driving? Let's just say I'm in the "trust but verify, and then verify again, probably with a human in the passenger seat who knows how to grab a non-existent steering wheel" camp. We all unplug the toaster before going on holiday, don't we? Just in case it decides to burn the house down. Yet, we're supposed to blithely hop into a car that's thinking for itself? In Vegas, no less! The potential for digital mischief is interesting.
Image Credit: Zoox.
Enter Zoox. And no, that's not the sound a comic book character makes when punched. It's a company, an Amazon-owned one at that, which is beavering away at this whole self-driving malarkey. What makes them a bit different, and frankly a tad more intriguing than some of the other chaps bolting sensors to existing cars, is that Zoox has designed its own little electric box on wheels specifically for the task. No steering wheel, no pedals, just a space for four passengers to sit and marvel at their own bravery.
These little electric pods aren't just confined to a super-secret test track in some tech-utopia. Zoox has been letting its autonomous software loose (under careful supervision, one hopes) in a growing list of American cities. We're talking Atlanta, Austin, Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area – a comprehensive tasting menu of traffic conditions and bewildered pedestrians. And now, they're doubling down on Las Vegas.
Image Credit: Zoox.
Their Vegas adventure started modestly enough in the summer of 2023, with their robotaxis trundling around a one-mile loop at a blistering top speed of up to 35 miles per hour. Thrilling stuff. By March of this year, they'd clearly gained a bit of confidence, or perhaps the onboard computers had simply learned how to navigate around suspiciously slow-moving Elvis impersonators. The geofenced area expanded to five miles from their local headquarters to the south end of the Strip, with speeds creeping up to a heady 45 mph. One can only imagine the G-forces.
Zoox also apparently has been teaching its silicon chauffeurs how to cope with less-than-perfect weather – light rain, damp roads, that sort of thing. Because, as we all know, Las Vegas is famous for its torrential downpours. Still, good on them for preparing for wildly improbable scenarios. It shows a certain thoroughness.
Image Credit: Zoox.
Now, here's where it gets properly Vegas. Zoox has cozied up with Resorts World Las Vegas, becoming their first-ever official robotaxi partner. This means there will be a dedicated, branded spot for these little autonomous pods to pick up and drop off guests. There's even talk of an "experiential activation" within the resort, which sounds delightfully vague and corporate. Will it involve a holographic tour guide? A complimentary packet of digitally-optimised travel sweets?
Michael White, Zoox's Chief Product Officer, says they "share a joint focus on creating superior customer experiences" and that riding with Zoox will be an "extension of the signature hospitality" of Resorts World. High praise indeed. Carlos Castro, the President and CFO of Resorts World Las Vegas, echoed this, talking about "integrating technology solutions that elevate our service offerings." It all sounds wonderfully synergistic, like a perfectly harmonized press release.
Image Credit: Zoox.
But, and with autonomous tech, there's always a "but," you can't just rock up to Resorts World, wave a twenty-dollar bill, and tell the robot to take you to the nearest all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet. Not yet, anyway. Because Zoox hasn't commercially launched for paid public rides in Vegas. To get a taste of this future, you need to sign up for their "Explorer program." This, in essence, means you get a free ride in exchange for your valuable feedback. So, you're a pioneer, a beta tester, a guinea pig on the digital frontier. For free! How very generous of them.
The vehicle itself, this purpose-built wonder, is designed to carry four people, facing each other, carriage-style. No driver, no steering wheel, no pedals. It's purely about the passenger experience, but I do wonder, though, if they've factored in the effects of three complimentary casino cocktails on the average "Explorer's" ability to provide coherent feedback on sensor fusion algorithms.
Image Credit: Zoox.
Zoox reckons they'll open up the service to the general, paying public in Las Vegas later this year. We shall see. I'll be watching, with my usual blend of techno-enthusiasm and a gently raised eyebrow of skepticism. If these electric, autonomous pods can navigate the chaos of the Las Vegas Strip, especially at night, without having a digital meltdown, then perhaps there's hope for us all.
The idea of handing over control still gives me a slight case of the heebie-jeebies – the kind you get when you see someone using the wrong tool for a job – the electric aspect is undeniably good. And if it means fewer "enthusiastically lubricated" humans attempting to pilot two tons of metal through crowded streets after a long session at the poker table, then that's a future I can get behind. Cautiously, of course. From the passenger seat. With my hand hovering over an emergency stop button that probably doesn't exist.
