Amazon’s Zoox Expands Robotaxi Service in San Francisco
Amazon's autonomous vehicle subsidiary, Zoox, has expanded its robotaxi service to a broader area of San Francisco under California's driverless pilot program. This move intensifies competition with Waymo and Tesla in one of the most closely watched markets for self-driving technology. While Waymo remains the dominant player in the Bay Area, Zoox recently quadrupled its operational footprint since spring 2026. Zoox has received a federal exemption allowing it to deploy up to 2,500 purpose-built robotaxis annually over two years. However, unlike Waymo's established paid driverless service, Zoox still operates under pilot regulations in California. Meanwhile, Tesla is testing its Cybercab model with limited paid rides in Austin and plans for broader deployment. The growing competition reflects the potential of a rapidly expanding global ride-hailing market expected to grow from $224.8 billion in 2025 to over $513 billion by 2031, according to Mordor Intelligence.
Topics: autonomous vehicles competition market expansion robotaxi