Amazon Subsidiary Zoox Taxi Draws Attention at CES with Unique Design
Breaking Traditional Automotive Norms... Demonstrates Human-Level Driving Performance
On the third day of CES, January 8 (local time), the autonomous robot taxi 'Zoox' is moving in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The biggest star outside the venue at CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, was the box-shaped autonomous taxi 'Zoox.' While waiting for my turn, watching the application installed on my smartphone, I felt a bit impatient. However, the moment I boarded the vehicle, it felt as if I had traveled to the future.
A year ago, at CES 2025, I had only heard about the concept of Zoox, but this time, I was able to ride it. Zoox is currently operating on a trial basis for free in Las Vegas. Reservations can only be made near certain designated stops. I headed to the nearest one, close to the New York-New York Hotel.
Having heard that others had waited for a long time, I chose a time just after midnight, right before the last ride. I was able to reserve immediately. Some people mentioned it took them four hours to board. Was I just lucky? It probably means the service is extremely popular.
On the opening day of CES, the 6th (local time), a vehicle from the American autonomous driving company Zoox is displayed at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in Nevada, USA. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The square-shaped autonomous vehicle quietly approached. I received a notification on my smartphone that the vehicle had arrived. I pressed the button to open the door. The interior, with no steering wheel or pedals, was revealed. Four people could sit facing each other in a 'living room style' arrangement. After fastening my seatbelt and closing the door, the vehicle found its own way. Fluorescent lights shone from the ceiling, and music played. It was completely different from traditional taxis or other robotaxis, where a person drives or sits beside you.
Inside the Jooks Taxi, unlike a regular vehicle, there are seats facing each other. The large box-like vehicle had a spacious interior. There was no steering wheel for vehicle operation, and passengers could only operate a small LCD screen. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist
The Zoox robotaxi, almost square in shape, is sometimes called a 'toaster.' The interior offered generous legroom and a quiet atmosphere. Thanks to technology that combines radar, lidar, cameras, and long-wave infrared sensors, the vehicle recognized its surroundings and started smoothly. It seemed to accelerate relatively quickly. It responded appropriately to traffic lights, signs, and pedestrians. There was no difference compared to a human driver.
Curious about other users' impressions, I searched online. One reviewer who shared their experience in San Francisco said, "I felt a bit motion sick due to some sudden braking and sharp turns." Most, however, described it as "smoother than a human driver." This was attributed to the application of safety-first algorithms.
While Jooks autonomous taxis run on the streets of Las Vegas, passengers can see the outside scenery through large windows. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist
The Zoox robotaxi takes a different approach compared to Tesla or Waymo. Waymo uses existing vehicles. Zoox, on the other hand, is designed from the ground up for autonomous driving, with no driver's seat or steering wheel at all. An HL Mando representative, a supplier of parts for this vehicle, explained, "It's different from the conventional method where the steering wheel is connected to the wheels."
Zoox is said to be capable of bidirectional driving, meaning there is no front or back. The face-to-face seating arrangement could feel a bit awkward. For long-distance travel, sitting face-to-face might be inconvenient for privacy reasons. I thought this could be improved by rearranging the seats. In fact, it made me expect that the vehicle could be modified in many ways.
When the Juks autonomous taxi reaches its destination, a notification appears indicating that it is searching for a safe parking spot. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist
It was also observed that Amazon is looking to apply various types of autonomous vehicles, not just Zoox. At the CES 2026 venue, Amazon demonstrated the introduction of autonomous driving concepts to its delivery vehicles as well. This suggests that the sight of massive Amazon trucks crossing the United States may soon disappear.
After experiencing Zoox, I attended the keynote speech by Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, where he introduced an autonomous driving platform called 'Alphamaio.' Hyundai Motor Company showed similar initiatives. At CES 2026, the very forefront of physical AI was not robotics, but autonomous driving.
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