Amazon’s self-driving subsidiary Zoox on Monday that it will begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Dallas and Phoenix. The company will initially deploy Toyota Highlander SUVs with human safety drivers to map the new cities before eventually rolling out its robotaxis.
Zoox says these two cities will offer a chance to test its sensors and battery performance in unique conditions its cars haven’t yet encountered in existing markets. Phoenix experiences extreme heat, dust and high-speed roads, while Dallas has more sprawling roads and varied weather compared to other cities where Zoox operates. The company is also opening new depots in both cities and a in Scottsdale, Arizona which will handle fleet operations, remote guidance and rider support.
The move brings Zoox’s footprint (between actual and test markets) to 10 US cities. It’s other areas of operation are Las Vegas, San Francisco, , , Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, DC. Amazon the self-driving startup for $1.3 billion in 2020 and has been steadily expanding its reach, with the company saying its fleet has driven over one million autonomous miles and served more than 300,000 riders to date.
Zoox’s expansion comes as competition in the robotaxi market intensifies. Alphabet-owned Waymo has continued its across the US, while Tesla’s Robotaxis launched last year, though those are currently limited to parts of Austin, Texas. US regulators are set to hold a on Tuesday, with the CEOs of Waymo, Zoox and Aurora all expected to attend.
The regulatory framework has dragged behind the rapid rollout of these vehicles as companies test and iterate the technology on public streets. Just in the last year, autonomous vehicles have near a school, responding to a mass shooting and, at least in the case of Teslas, appear to be than human drivers.
