Zoox Issues Software Recall for Robotaxis Following Collision
Zoox, the Robotaxi company owned by Amazon, has initiated a recall to update the software on 270 of its unmanned vehicles after a collision occurred in Las Vegas.
On Monday, Zoox revealed that the software update is aimed at addressing the “root cause” of recent incidents and has already been rolled out to the potentially affected vehicles.
As noted in a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the incident involving a vacant Zoox Robotaxi and a passenger vehicle took place on April 8. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
The accident happened as the passenger car “quickly approached the lane where our dedicated Robotaxi was traveling,” according to statements from Zoox.
They explained that the Robotaxi slowed down and shifted to the right in anticipation of the vehicle’s movement. But, the other car came to a complete stop, essentially blocking the Zoox Robotaxi’s path. Consequently, the Robotaxi had to brake hard, but a collision was unavoidable.
Following the incident, Zoox performed extensive analysis to determine the causes of this conflict, resulting in a temporary suspension of its unmanned vehicles. The NHTSA report indicated that earlier software versions might lead to miscalculations when another vehicle approaches and halts unexpectedly.
However, Zoox had updated its software in mid-April to rectify this problem.
All Zoox vehicles currently on the road, including both Robotaxi and Test Fleet versions, are equipped with the new software, as stated on their official website.
Zoox described the recall as a proactive measure, highlighting its dedication to transparency, adherence to regulations, and ensuring the safety of its riders.
The company has begun testing its fleets in several cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Austin, and Miami. In a recent blog entry, Zoox expressed hopes of launching Robotaxi services to the public in Las Vegas and San Francisco “later this year.”
Founded around 11 years ago by Jesse Levinson and Tim Kentley-Klay, Zoox has been under Amazon’s ownership since 2020 and is based in Foster City, California.
