When half a million riders climb into a Zoox robotaxi, they tend to leave traces of themselves behind — a phone wedged between seats, a coffee cup rolling under the armrest, a bag forgotten on the floor. It's this kind of real-world feedback, gathered from 500,000 journeys since the service launched, that shaped the company's next-generation vehicle unveiled this week.
Amazon-backed Zoox, founded in 2014, has taken a different path than its competitors. While Waymo retrofits passenger vehicles and Tesla promises eventual robotaxi capabilities, Zoox built its car from a blank sheet of paper — designed for riders, not drivers. The absence of steering wheels and pedals created a symmetrical, face-to-face cabin that the company calls its signature feature.
The updated model refines that vision with a lighter interior palette: monochrome aloe green seating, stone-grey flooring, and simplified trim meant to create what the team calls a calmer, more inviting environment. "The simplicity of the elevated interior design does not demand a rider's attention like so many of the features found in today's passenger cars," said Chris Stoffel, Director of Robot Industrial Design. "Instead, riders can relax and enjoy the space as they are transported throughout the city."
Practical touches got equal attention. The charging pad now has fluting for stability, cupholders are larger, and the touchscreen is more vivid. Seats received additional padding and ergonomic curves based directly on what riders said they wanted. Even the exterior got subtle upgrades: redesigned bidirectional reflectors that rotate color to clearly distinguish the vehicle's front from its rear, plus improved audio systems for clearer communication between riders, other road users, and Zoox support teams.
Now comes the scale. Zoox will soon begin large-scale production at its robotaxi serial production facility in Hayward, California, with the capacity to ramp output to 100 vehicles per week, pending regulatory approval. The first of these production-intent vehicles will join fleets across the company's markets and become available to riders later this year.
"This latest Zoox robotaxi represents more than just the next evolution of our vehicle; it's the foundation for bringing autonomous ride-hailing to more riders at a greater scale," the company stated. After years of building quietly in the shadow of Waymo and Tesla, Zoox is signaling it may finally be ready for its close-up.