The world of ride-sharing isn’t something we’ve really thought about much the past few months because of the pandemic, but it’s evolving more than ever behind the scenes at places like Zoox. The Amazon-backed technology startup is in the process of developing a ride-sharing robot taxi for up to four people that are capable of tackling crowded city streets in a way that’s safer than traditional driving, more comfortable for the rider, and better for the planet. The unique, train car style vehicle is fully electric, can hit a top speed of up to 75mph, and is built with bidirectional with four-wheel steering so it can change directions without reversing. In terms of safety features, cameras, radar and lidar create a 270-degree field of view at each corner which eliminates typical blind spots and it features novel airbags to protect the cabin. Zoox is currently being tested on private roads. While they haven’t confirmed exactly when the service will be available, they did confirm it won’t be until at least 2022.
