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Self-driving car tests start in Austin.

Amazon is bringing its self-driving cars to Austin, making it the newest company to test its autonomous vehicles on the city's streets.

Published June 17, 2024 at 7:01am by Beck Andrew Salgado

Austin, Texas, is set to become the latest testing ground for Amazon's self-driving car venture, Zoox. This expansion comes amid growing concerns and controversies surrounding self-driving cars, with incidents reported in San Francisco and on the East Coast. Locals in Austin have had mixed reactions to similar ventures, such as Alphabet's Waymo, which recently faced a federal investigation.

What is Zoox?

Amazon-backed, founded in 2014
Aiming to rival tech giants like Alphabet and Tesla in the self-driving space
Became the first company to self-certify a purpose-built, fully autonomous, all-electric passenger vehicle in 2022
Started public road tests in 2023 in the DMV, California, and Vegas
Zoox website

Waymo Investigation

May 2023: Statesman reported Waymo under federal investigation for safety and oversight
Nearly two dozen incidents of collisions or traffic violations identified by NHTSA, per USA Today
Investigation focuses on 5th-gen Waymo cars and their ability to detect/respond to traffic control devices
None of the investigated accidents occurred in Austin

What's Next for Austin?

According to Zoox, self-driving cars with safety drivers will hit Austin streets in July 2023

Original reporting by Beck Andrew Salgado for the Austin Statesman