Amazon’s self-driving vehicle subsidiary, Zoox, has secured a multiyear partnership with Uber to integrate its robotaxi service into the ride-hailing app, beginning this summer in Las Vegas and expanding to Los Angeles in 2027.
The agreement, announced Wednesday, will allow Uber riders in Las Vegas to request a Zoox vehicle through the Uber app, alongside existing ride options. Zoox will continue to operate its own ride-hailing app in both cities, providing riders with a choice of platforms. The partnership represents a significant step for Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020 for over $1.2 billion, as it seeks to expand its reach and demonstrate the viability of its purpose-built autonomous vehicle.
Zoox, founded in 2014 by Tim Kentley-Klay and Jesse Levinson, has been developing driverless vehicles designed specifically for ride-hailing. The company’s vehicle, often described as “toaster-shaped,” is designed to carry riders, not cargo, and operates without a steering wheel or pedals. Aicha Evans, Zoox’s CEO, stated the partnership will “advance the use of autonomous mobility in daily life” and provide a “differentiated rider experience” for Uber customers.
While Zoox is gaining traction, it currently lags behind Alphabet’s Waymo in terms of commercial deployment. Waymo reported over 400,000 weekly rides across six U.S. Metro areas in February and operates commercially in ten cities, with plans to expand to London and Tokyo in 2026. Competition in the robotaxi market also extends to Asia, with companies like Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide, and Pony.AI rapidly expanding their services. Baidu reported peak weekly rides exceeding 300,000 in the fourth quarter.
The partnership with Uber is seen as a key element in Amazon’s strategy to scale Zoox’s operations. Amazon’s acquisition of Zoox positioned the robotaxi developer within the Amazon Devices & Services organization, alongside units like Amazon Lab126, Amazon Alexa, and Kuiper Systems. However, Zoox still requires regulatory approval for full commercial deployment of its robotaxi service.
