Zoox, the robotaxi company acquired by Amazon last year, will test its automatic driving technology for the first time in Seattle this month. It has focused on Las Vegas and the bay area for the previous four years.
According to the zoox post announced on Monday morning, the company also plans to open an office in Seattle in 2022.
“Testing in a new city gives our cars and artificial intelligence the opportunity to experience new challenges, including different weather and infrastructure, different rules and regulations and different driving culture,” the company said in its post. “These challenges will help us iterate hardware and software and eventually expand the functionality of zoox.”
This euphemism about “different driving cultures” makes people who used to drive in Seattle giggle. Forget the Turing test. Can AI learn our unique combination of passive aggression, politeness and anger on the road?
Jesse Levinson, the company’s chief technology officer and co-founder, said in a statement: “we are happy to test in Seattle.”. “The data we collect will play an invaluable role in the sustainable development and promotion of our artificial intelligence stack.”
A spokesman confirmed that zoox launched its special electric robotaxi last year, but these tests will not involve these vehicles, and the company will not provide automatic car sales services to the public at present. This deployment will involve the L3 Toyota highlanders specially equipped by zoox, which matches the sensor structure on the specially manufactured robotaxi.
If autonomous technology needs help, every Highlander will have a “safe driver” who can take over.
Amazon bought zoox for more than $1 billion last year as part of the company’s greater efforts in robotics, automation and electric vehicles.
Zoox said that it is mainly focusing on its robotaxi service. However, Aicha Evans, CEO of zoox, admitted in an interview with Bloomberg TV last year that its technology would one day be applied to package delivery:
Evans said at that time, “first of all, we should let people move around. That’s where the demand is. This is the greatest benefit to society, the city and all relevant personnel, that is, the greatest benefit to customers.”. “But yes, I admit that if we can move people, especially with such footprints, we can move packages at some time.”
Zoox has not released more details about its Seattle regional office plan, so it is unclear about its specific location or scale. Overall, zoox currently has more than 1300 employees and plans to add 450 jobs this year.
