Zoox expands Las Vegas robotaxi service to airport as competition builds

Zoox will pick up and drop off riders at both airport terminals near baggage claim, the company said. That pickup location differentiates it from Uber and Lyft, whose drivers can drop passengers at the terminal curb but whose airport pickup point is a five- to ten-minute walk from baggage claim on the upper floor of a nearby parking garage.

The expansion follows a series of recent milestones for the Silicon Valley company, which spent more than a decade developing its self-driving system and a purpose-built robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals. Zoox had been providing rides in Las Vegas for about a year, but could not operate as a commercial paid service until federal safety regulators granted a temporary exemption in August.

The two-year exemption covers eight federal motor vehicle safety standards, including windshield defrosting and light vehicle braking systems, and permits deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles. Zoox began charging for rides on August 10, said it planned to test its vehicles in San Diego and Houston, and released its safety framework.

Zoox's airport service gives it a foothold in a market that is about to become more crowded. Tesla, Uber and Waymo all received commercial robotaxi permits from the Nevada Transportation Authority last month for Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Uber plans to operate robotaxis through partnerships with Motional, a Hyundai subsidiary, and with Zoox. Together, the permits allow deployment of up to 8,000 robotaxis across the county over the next 12 months.