I stand outside a Nandscript Corporate Office Park in Las Vegas, which is not a proper front or behind next to a box -shaped vehicle. It is a set of sliding doors, no steering wheel and touchpad control. It is a bidle, which means that it can move in any direction. And to be completely clear, it looks like an oversized toster compared to a real car.
This is the second generation Zox robotaxiAn objective-manufactured autonomous shuttle that has been testing in and around Las Vegas for the last one and a half years. Zox, A Amazon a subsidiaryHas been working on it for more than a decade, and during this year's CES, it eventually allows some journalists to ride a ride.
So far, the only robotaxis operating on public roads in the US is run by Wemo of Alphabet. Others have tried, but ignore the money out of money or traffic accidents (or, in case of cruise, both). Unlike Waymo, Zoox is not open to the public. It is also not said when it will happen. And as the vemo eyes New cities And New participationZoox is still stuck in beta mode.
But perhaps it is going to be unstable. Inviting journalists to go for a ride is certainly a step towards a public launch.
Zox Cofounder and CTO JC Lewinson said during the ride, “We have just tried to focus on stable, grounded and our mission, no matter what.” “We can definitely learn from our fellow travelers. When they are doing well, we can be inspired, and we think, hey, you know, it is possible. We should catch here. And then, you know, if they do something wrong, we can learn from him and we do it. ,
More than 10 years and A Billion dollars investment Later, the Zoox is currently available to employees and their families in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle, with more places, including Austin and Miami, at the end of this year. While most people will still not be able to bloom a zox soon, the company will soon open an invited zox “Explorer” program, so much like what Wemo did with it. Early riders,
But apart from the vemo, a broad robotaxi project, such as staggering with companies, is on the verge of staggering cruise And Argo AI Closing after the funding dries. China is even disturbing its own efforts, legislators and technical staff. Tesla's Elon Musk vowed to launch recently His own robotaxi operation in JuneBut doubt is about his approach to safety.
“We should catch here. And then, you know, if they do something wrong, we can learn from him and we do it. ,
Zoox still seems to be behind the curve. Its business model depends entirely on the manufacture of autonomous vehicles, which are very expensive, labor-intensive and relatively frightening for various rules and regulations. There are some questions about the company Self-proof process for your vehiclesAnd its test vehicles are Under investigation by NHTSA Two motorcycle drivers were killed last year.
To ensure this, Zoox has its own fleet of Retrofitted Toyota Highbrids to test its software in places such as San Francisco and Las Vegas. About 60 of the highlander mules were parked or lethargic at the Nandscript Warehouse in Las Vegas, with a handful of the company's first generation EVS as well as a handful of different states.
But highlanders are old news. The Zoox is betting on all its chips on the objective-manufactured AVs. And do people embrace these funny-looking tosters-on-wheels, it will depend a lot on how they feel on the road.
The autonomous vehicles in which I have earlier riding are traditional control or familiar steering wheel/brake pedal setup. He also had a car size and design. There is no of these things in Zoox.
One of the technicians opens the sliding doors of the low -floor electric vehicle using an iPad. I step inside with Lewinson and a Zox PR representative. The interior is spacious, resembles more than the interior of the bus or subway.
Seats are firm and a woven industrial material for easy cleaning is included, one must be ill or spread something. Lewinson told me that he recently updated seats to be more comfortable on the basis of response from employees who are testing them. Because seats are facing each other, there is not a ton of visibility from both ends of the vehicle. If you easily get carci, sitting behind may be a bad idea.
The sliding side doors offer a good view of what is happening from the side of the vehicle, although the seats come above the height of the shoulder, blocking your direct view. Custom airbags are hidden throughout the vehicle in case of accident, and of course, seatbelts.
Lewinson and I sit next to each other, while the PR representative sits beyond, and we have enough space that we collide without anyone to cross one's feet. We start riding using one of the tablets near the door and start riding. These are the only control in the vehicle: riders can control the temperature, ask to pull the vehicle, check the ride duration, and control the audio. Probably some of these functions will also be controlled through the app.
The path we take is a pre-determined 30-minute loop, which is the Las Vegas strip and very edge of the back. These are all local roads, no freeway, with speed limit, which is about 45 mph. As we air the previous restaurants and strip malls, we face construction areas, pedestrians and other generality.
The first challenge comes when we reach a construction site with a closed right lane ahead of a intersection. While the robotaxi navigates it properly, it still looks inorganic and slightly robotic. Instead of merging before closing the lane like a human driver, the zox runs the sign that blocks the lane correct Waits Before the traffic becomes enough, it seems to feel that the robotaxi feels sufficient confidence to move safely.
Later, we face a pedestrian to cross with light. There is no problem here: Zox waits patiently while the person crosses, and after a change in light, we go away.
If you easily get carci, sitting behind may be a bad idea.
Beyond the challenges of those two real -world, the ride is largely uneven, with some random and rather sudden exception to braking when it comes in a light or stop sign. Overall, the experience seems safe but is less fully felt than a vemo ride.
While the company says that it has been upgraded for things such as suspension, brake and electric drive units, the ride is still slightly rough, and the braking sometimes seems to be suddenly. With wheels on the outer corners of the vehicle, and the body is felt intensified, rough roads (eg construction area) and pits on the ground. And since there is minimal padding in seats, those blinds travel through your seat and directly in your body. This can be a problem for more people for most modern SUVs for high-riding comfort.
Overall, Robotaxi did well, but it is important to note that this was not the first time Zox operated the same route – nor was it the second or third time. There were already at least 10 other journalists The one who did the same route, did not count all the time Zox traveled before riding us. Experts believe that the capacity of the route dynamically without any pre-plan is one of the most important tests of driverless taxi service. Keeping this in mind, Zoox still has a lot to prove.
And then they are, for a lack of a better word, pakoda moment: when you craring or brace because the autonomous vehicle is somewhat stupid. While there were some unexpected braking moments on the way, and strangely there were conservative lane options, Zox Robotaxi never behaved in such a way that I felt insecure.
Zoox is taking a slow and stable passage for autonomy, keeping a handle on its own design and proprietary software. Some test vehicles leap for widespread success in places that do not always have sunlight with clear sky and moderate temperatures, there is still a long way for any robotaxi company. But Zox feels that this is the winning formula.
“This experience that we are doing in this vehicle, now nothing is there,” said Lewinson. “You can't find in a retrofitted car. You can't find it in cybercab … We think we are on something. ,