The self-driving car company Zoox, owned by the well-known Amazon Corporation, has begun technical testing of its autonomous taxi on the highways of Las Vegas. The main goal of testing is to check how the taxi robot behaves at stops, performs turns and maneuvers on highways, and interacts with other road users: cars, cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. The self-driving taxi will be tested on a 1.6-kilometer loop in the southwestern part of the city. The choice of this area was made because the company's facilities are located here. Zoox did not specify how many taxis without drivers will ply the roads of Las Vegas or how much time per day will be allocated for "exam" trips. The representative of the company said only that several tests are planned, not one.
Bringing the Zoox robot taxi to the Las Vegas tracks is the second stage of testing. The first took place in February of this year and was held in Foster City (San Mateo County, California). The company has all the necessary documents for its implementation. The Nevada DMV granted it a special permit to drive an unmanned electric vehicle. Under Nevada law, a company that develops and tests any vehicle in the state must document that it meets a "minimum risk condition." This means that when a system malfunction occurs, the machine should stop itself.
For reference: Zoox unmanned taxi is a mini-electric car (length – 3.63 m). Only four people can fit in the cabin (the seats are located opposite each other). High maneuverability is provided by swivel wheels – all four. The maximum possible vehicle speed is up to 120 km/h. Battery power – 133 kWh. A full charge of this robotaxi is enough for 16 hours.