Driverless Car Service Expands as New Company Hits Phoenix Roads

Every day, our world comes closer to becoming a Sci-Fi movie.

Remember “Demolition Man” with Sylvester Stallone? I’m thinking more about the driverless cars and the autodriving feature that all of the movie’s vehicles had. I find myself wondering if we’re heading toward a future where all cars are driverless, and what that could mean for gig workers who drive for Uber and Lyft, not to mention taxi drivers.

Waymo has been rolling out its driverless cars in Phoenix since 2016. The company chose Phoenix as its flagship market because of the weather, wide roads, and its very supportive regulatory environment.

Soon, Waymo will share the driverless roads with Zoox, which just announced it’s bringing its driverless cars to Phoenix.

What’s Zoox Doing Rolling Into Phoenix?

With Zoox's announcement, it feels like the Valley is about to become the Silicon Desert of robotaxis.

READ: These 15 Arizona Jobs Could Disappear in the Next 10 Years

Zoox is an Amazon‑owned company rolling out retrofitted SUVs that will be supported with safety drivers before they unleash their toaster‑shaped robotaxis solo.

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Do People In Phoenix Even Like Driverless Cars?

Waymo has had a decade to work out some of the kinks in driverless vehicles. Zoox will be the first company to offer competition, but it’ll bring serious tech and Amazon muscle. Unlike Waymo’s modified vehicles, Zoox builds its robotaxis from the ground up.

Until now, Waymo has been the Valley's primary driverless-car company. Overall, the vehicles have a fairly good safety record.

READ: Dangers of Fake Ride Share Drivers in Arizona

According to federal crash data, of the 202 crashes involving Waymo vehicles over a three‑year period, police reports indicated Waymo was at fault in only 13% of the 71 police‑documented cases reviewed.

According to a Waymo survey, more than half of Phoenix residents said they would be willing to ride in a driverless autonomous vehicle, although opinions about driverless taxis remain mixed. Others worry about the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.

What Does the Driverless Future Look Like?

According to a TechCrunch report, Zoox has begun mapping streets in Phoenix as it prepares to test its autonomous vehicles in the city. If these tests are successful, it could lead to service expansion in other nearby Arizona cities.

The introduction of more robotaxis may also reduce job opportunities for gig workers who drive for companies like Uber, Lyft, and local taxi services. If driverless vehicles take off, many of these jobs could become obsolete. Zoox says “hundreds of new tech jobs” could move to the Phoenix area, so the trade-off may be worth it.