Zoox
Acquired by Amazon · 2020 · $1.2B Zoox was a Robotaxi / AV company founded in 2014 and based in Foster City, United States. It was acquired by Amazon in 2020 for $1.2B.
Zoox was founded in 2014 by Tim Kentley-Klay and Jesse Levinson to build a ground-up autonomous robotaxi rather than retrofit existing cars. Amazon acquired the company in June 2020 for a reported sum exceeding $1.2 billion, and Zoox now operates as a wholly owned Amazon subsidiary headquartered in Foster City, California. Its signature vehicle is a symmetric, bidirectional carriage-style robotaxi with no steering wheel and seating for four passengers facing one another. Zoox has been offering free autonomous rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco and, in 2026, expanded testing and free public rides to additional markets including Austin and Miami, with stated intent to begin charging fares in 2026. In a notable distribution shift, Zoox struck a partnership with Uber to list its robotaxis on the Uber app, starting in Las Vegas in summer 2026 and Los Angeles in mid-2027.
Zoox is the leading bet that a purpose-built, bidirectional robotaxi — not a retrofitted car — is the right form factor for autonomous ride-hailing, backed by Amazon's balance sheet.
zoox.com ↗·Robotaxi / AV·
United States·acquired 
