Zoox Launches Driverless Rides for San Francisco Users

San Francisco streets are now welcoming a new kind of ride. Zoox, the Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, has started letting select users hail its driverless robotaxis in parts of the city.

The “Zoox Explorers” program allows residents in neighborhoods like SoMa, Mission, and Design districts to experience the company’s distinctive box-shaped vehicles free of cost. Access depends on location and fleet expansion, with the company aiming to remove the waitlist entirely by 2026.

Zoox’s approach stands out in the crowded robotaxi market. Unlike traditional autonomous vehicles adapted from existing cars, Zoox designed its vehicles from the ground up — eliminating the steering wheel entirely. The company has been testing autonomous technology in San Francisco since 2017, initially retrofitting Toyota Highlanders before deploying its custom “toaster-shaped” shuttles last year.

This launch pits Zoox directly against Alphabet’s Waymo in San Francisco for the first time. Waymo, which started offering rides to all city residents in June 2024, has already provided over 10 million paid rides since its 2020 Phoenix launch. Recently, it expanded its service to freeways and additional areas like San Jose and Los Angeles.

Zoox’s fleet currently includes 50 robotaxis operating between San Francisco and Las Vegas, where the company opened its service to the public in September 2025. While rides remain free, the move is part of a broader strategy to scale up for eventual paid services once regulatory approvals are in place.

Beyond these two cities, Zoox has also tested its fleet in major U.S. hubs like Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., signaling its ambition to become a significant player in the autonomous ride-hailing market.

With this expansion, San Francisco residents get a glimpse into a future where AI-driven vehicles may become part of daily commuting, offering a ride experience unlike any other in the city.