SELF-DRIVING TOASTER-SHAPED VEHICLES NOW AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC VIAWAITLIST
Amazon-owned Zoox has started offering free robotaxi rides in San Francisco through its “Explorers” program, inviting public riders from a waitlist to experience and provide feedback on their purpose-built autonomous vehicles. This move intensifies the competition with Waymo in the Bay Area’s self-driving market.
Zoox, headquartered in Foster City, California, recently opened its waitlist to the public for free robotaxi rides in select San Francisco neighborhoods including SoMa, Mission District, and Design District. The initiative aims to gather user feedback as Zoox moves closer to commercial deployment.
The company’s unique robotaxis feature a distinctive toaster-like design, with fully autonomous capabilities developed since 2017. Earlier tests have included rides for friends and family of employees, but this marks Zoox’s first expanded access for the general public.
The free rides are part of the “Zoox Explorers” program launched in early 2025, designed to refine the user experience and service logistics prior to full scale operations.
This public rollout places Zoox in direct competition with other autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo, which recently began robotaxi services in overlapping areas of San Francisco.
Zoox CEO Aicha Evans emphasized the strategic importance of San Francisco as a hub of innovation and mobility, expressing optimism about the program’s potential to complement existing transportation options.
Riders within the current service area can book trips via the Zoox app upon invitation from the waitlist. The program focuses on safety, comfort, and expanding public familiarity with autonomous vehicle technology.
The launch underscores the growing presence of self-driving vehicles in urban environments and the move toward commercializing driverless mobility solutions.
