Amazon plans to produce up to 10,000 robotaxis annually at a new factory near Silicon Valley, aiming to challenge self-driving cab leader Waymo. The 220,000-square-foot factory will enable the company to ramp up production and enter the market five years after acquiring self-driving startup Zoox for $1.2 billion.
Zoox’s manufacturing plant in Hayward, California is currently producing one robotaxi per day, with plans to increase output to three vehicles per hour by next year. The company aims to assemble 500-1,000 robotaxis in small markets and 2,000 in major cities.
Waymo has a head start in the market, with over 10 million paid rides recorded. However, Amazon is banking on its unique vehicle design, which resembles carriages, to attract passengers. Zoox also recently struck partnerships to give rides to guests of Resorts World in Las Vegas and at a Tesla factory in Austin.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also vying for the robotaxi market, although his current plans are more modest than initially predicted. The company aims to operate 500-1,000 robotaxis in small markets and 2,000 in major cities. With its long-term goal of producing 10 million robotaxis by 2029, Amazon is set to challenge Waymo’s dominance in the self-driving cab industry.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/amazon-zoox-robotaxis-manufacturing-plant-8c34ae849ccb10eaa7e6e5266d6de8e8