Your Daily Guide

You’ve probably noticed those new, rectangular, driverless robotaxis on Las Vegas roads. But making the decision to actually step inside one is another matter. The vehicles (funded by the same company that brings toothpaste and protein bars to your doorstep — Amazon), are now active on and around the Strip. And they’re ✨free ✨… at least for a little while.

I decided to test the system out. It’s called Zoox. And much like Uber, the name seems destined to be used as both a noun and a verb. So, if you want to Zoox around the Strip, pickup and dropoff locations are currently available at New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur, Topgolf, Resorts World, Wynn, Fashion Show mall, and AREA15.

I found ordering a Zoox wasn’t any more or less difficult than ordering a rideshare, but it did arrive noticeably faster. (That could change once business expands.) From there, identify your ride by license plate, press a button on the app to open the doors, and step inside.

The Zoox won’t depart until all passengers plug in their seatbelts. You also have to press a digital button for the ride to begin. In both trips I took, “Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead was playing as I entered. (I hope they’re getting royalties for this.)

There are two seats facing forward and two facing backwards. I’d rank the comfort level above a McDonald’s fiberglass booth and below the softness of an average car seat. Each passenger has their own digital tablet to adjust the temperature and view the minutes remaining to the destination. Control the music by skipping ahead on four channels: ZooxFM (moody stuff), Greatest Hits, 80s Hits, and Top Charts. Your digital driver doesn’t care about how loud you play Sabrina Carpenter. I checked.

Zoox noticeably avoids Las Vegas Boulevard in favor of side streets, which may be for efficiency as well as added safety. It took me 12 minutes to get from New York-New York to the Luxor, while cutting through the Excalibur valet. For the most part, the driving felt normal. There was only one abrupt stop — possibly to avoid a lingering pedestrian who threatened to jaywalk.

Things not allowed in a Zoox: Alcohol, children under 8, and emotional support pets. (Trained service animals are welcome to sit on the floor.)

Upon arrival, a swipe on the tablet opens the doors and the ride officially ends. Afterwards, the app requests a star rating and review. (If a Zoox ever asks me for a tip, I’m burning Las Vegas to the ground.)

I could see myself getting used to this. Zoox provides uniform consistency and reliability, plus you don’t have to chat with any annoying human drivers. But is that really what I want? People pick up rideshare shifts after losing jobs to automation. Will the artificially intelligent chopping block come for the gig economy too? Cities that have experimented with driverless shuttles are now coping with a building wave of resentment.

Safety remains a concern too. Then again, I trust Zoox more than the Vegas Loop, that’s for sure. Highway travel could be a different story, but I’ll worry about that later — if it happens at all.

Zoox is expanding service to the T-Mobile Arena and Sphere soon. Even during the free rollout, you’re required to enter credit card information to book. The people behind this are counting on getting you hooked, then cashing in later. We’ll wait and see if that strategy pays off.

• Las Vegas has become a hub for autonomous driving startups. [City Cast Las Vegas ✍️]
• Our buddy Scott Dickensheets, who was just on the podcast and used to write this newsletter, posted some fun excerpts from an "interview" with a Zoox robotaxi. [Desert Companion]