Amazon Zoox redesigns robotaxi ahead of commercial launch 2026Zoox, the Amazon-owned robotaxi company, unveiled a series of updates to its self-driving vehicle on Wednesday, ahead of a planned commercial launch later this year.The changes are primarily interior. Seat and headrest cushioning was upgraded with additional padding and ergonomic shaping, while the interior color scheme shifted to a softer aesthetic — aloe-green upholstery paired with stone-grey floors and trim, the company said. According to Zoox, the tonal shift serves a dual purpose: the softer hues help keep the cabin feeling relaxed while the contrasting surfaces make forgotten belongings — a phone left on a seat, for instance — much easier to notice. The company also gave the touchscreen greater visual prominence, widened the cupholders, and added ridged fluting to the wireless charging pad so devices don't slide around.On the exterior, the bidirectional reflectors — which allow passengers, officers, and bystanders to tell which end of the vehicle is which — were repositioned and made larger to improve how easily they can be seen, the company said. The door panel now features a new speaker and microphone along with two-way audio, giving riders a direct line to Zoox's support team and enabling clearer coordination with emergency responders when needed.AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to TechCrunch, the vehicle carries four riders in face-to-face cabin seating, tops out at 75 miles per hour, and retains its signature moonroof, starry night lighting, and controlless interior — no steering wheel, no pedals.Chris Stoffel, director of robot industrial design and studio engineering at Zoox, said in a statement that the updates "continue to further distinguish the Zoox experience from anything else available today."The updated robotaxi carries what Zoox calls a "production intent" designation, with the company planning to bring it into rotation alongside its current fleet before year's end. High-volume manufacturing is set to ramp up at a Hayward, California plant that Zoox opened in June of last year, a facility the company has said could ultimately turn out as many as 10,000 vehicles annually.Generating revenue from rides first requires federal sign-off. Because Zoox's vehicles are built without the steering wheels and other controls that U.S. regulations normally require, the company filed for a commercial exemption with NHTSA; that petition entered the agency's review process after public comments wrapped up in early April. A separate NHTSA exemption, issued in August 2025, had already cleared the way for Zoox to run its vehicles on public streets for demonstration purposes.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt present, passengers in Las Vegas and San Francisco can take complimentary trips, while limited-access testing is underway in Miami and Austin; the company is also running trials across six additional U.S. markets. Since debuting passenger service in Las Vegas last September, Zoox said the cumulative rider count has now surpassed 500,000.