Autonomous mobility company Zoox Inc., a subsidiary of online retailer and tech firm Amazon, has revealed a functional, electric autonomous vehicle (AV), which it says is designed for use in busy urban environments.
Zoox claims to be the first in the industry to showcase a driving, purpose-built robotaxi that is capable of operating at speeds of up to 75mph (120km/h).
Launched in 2014, Zoox’s technology leverages artificial intelligence, robotics, vehicle design and sustainable energy, in alignment with the company ethos of developing safe and clean mobility solutions for the future.
Designed and manufactured in the US, Zoox has said it has developed the only vehicle to offer bidirectional driving capabilities and four-wheel steering, which enables manoeuvring through compact spaces and changing directions without having to reverse.
What’s more, at 3.63m (11.9ft) long, the vehicle reportedly has one of the smallest footprints in the automotive industry.
“Revealing our functioning and driving vehicle is an exciting milestone in our company’s history and marks an important step on our journey towards deploying an autonomous ride-hailing service,” said Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox.
“We are transforming the rider experience to provide superior mobility-as-a-service for cities.
“And as we see the alarming statistics around carbon emissions and traffic accidents, it’s more important than ever that we build a sustainable, safe solution that allows riders to get from point A to point B.”
The vehicle features a four-seat, face-to-face symmetrical seating configuration, with this set-up designed to eliminate the need for a steering wheel and bench seating, as is seen in conventional car designs.
The AV likewise features a 133kWh battery, which allows it to operate for up to 16 continuous hours on a single charge, according to Zoox.
