Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi is getting a refresh

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Amazon, unveiled a new look for its boxy, bidirectional robotaxi, calling it the “next evolution” of the vehicle intended for mass production. The company is currently operating a free robotaxi service in San Francisco , Las Vegas , Austin, and Miami while it waits for the federal government to approve its request for an exemption from safety rules that require production vehicles to have traditional controls, like steering wheels and pedals. While other robotaxi operators have typically relied on vehicles with familiar nameplates for their fleets, Zoox is unique in its embrace of a purpose-built robotaxi that has been expressly assembled for autonomy and only autonomy. Zoox says that’s because it has designed its vehicle around passengers as opposed to drivers. That means no traditional driving controls, like steering wheels or pedals. The vehicle’s carriage-style cabin includes two bench seats facing each other for a more social environment. And the symmetrical shape means the vehicle can drive in either direction without needing to make a 180-degree turn. But sometimes those features can be challenges, especially in a world dominated by regular looking cars driven by accident-prone humans. To that end, Zoox has made a number of improvements to the vehicle while still sticking with the general shape and design of its original purpose-built product. The main improvements appear to be centered on rider comfort. …