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Zoox Robotaxis Roll Into Downtown Las Vegas and Arts District
Zoox has expanded its driverless taxi service beyond the Strip to Downtown and the Arts District, a year after launching in Las Vegas and months after beginning paid rides and airport service. The company also rolled out an updated vehicle and extended service hours to 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.
LAS VEGAS â Zoox is taking its driverless taxis off the Strip and into the heart of the city.
The company announced Thursday that its robotaxi service now covers Downtown Las Vegas and the Arts District, marking the first expansion beyond the resort corridor since Zoox launched in Las Vegas a year ago. The move comes just months after the company began charging for rides and added service to Harry Reid International Airport.
Zoox said it has also deployed the next version of its robotaxi in Las Vegas. The updated vehicles feature a lighter interior and were designed with rider comfort in mind, according to the company.
The service area expansion follows recent launches at major destinations including the airport, Sphere and T-Mobile Arena. Zoox said it plans to keep adding access to resort and entertainment venues across the valley.
Rides are now available from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m., seven days a week.
The expansion puts autonomous vehicles on the streets of some of Las Vegas' most walkable and densely populated neighborhoods, where pedestrians, cyclists and delivery trucks share tight road space. Downtown and the Arts District have seen a surge of new residents and small businesses in recent years, and the arrival of driverless cars there could reshape how people move between the two districts and connect to the rest of the city.
Zoox, which is owned by Amazon, has been testing its purpose-built robotaxis â vehicles without a steering wheel or pedals â in Las Vegas and other cities. The company's Las Vegas operation is one of a handful of commercial robotaxi services now operating in the U.S., alongside competitors like Waymo.
For local riders, the expansion means another option for short trips that don't require parking â a particular draw in neighborhoods where parking is scarce and transit service can be limited. It also raises questions about how the technology will interact with the city's existing transit network and whether the service will be accessible and affordable for residents who aren't tourists.
Zoox did not immediately say how many vehicles would be added to serve the new areas or whether fares would differ from Strip rides. The company said more details about future service areas would be announced as they become available.