On Wednesday, Amazon.com Inc. announced that its Zoox robotaxi division will begin charging passengers in Las Vegas on August 10, 2026, making it the first autonomous vehicle service in the United States to operate without driver controls while collecting fares. The fare structure will consist of a base rate plus additional charges for distance travelled and trip duration; Zoox did not disclose the exact pricing but confirmed that the full fare will be displayed to riders before they confirm a booking. Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo currently runs the largest commercial driverless ride‑hailing service in the U.S., but its vehicles retain a steering wheel and pedals, whereas Zoox’s robotaxis are fully driverless. Tesla Inc. and Zoox are both working to compete with Waymo’s offering. In July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted Zoox a temporary exemption that allows the deployment of up to 5,000 robotaxis on U.S. roads over the next two years and authorises the company to charge riders per trip. Zoox’s robotaxi fleet has already accumulated more than 3 million miles on public roads and, prior to the commercial launch, has transported 1 million riders across Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin and Miami. The article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.