Zoox Expands Autonomous Vehicle Testing to Dallas and Phoenix
Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle unit, is broadening its testing operations to Dallas and Phoenix, Arizona, as it intensifies competition in the U.S. Autonomous taxi market. The expansion to these “Sun Belt” cities brings the total number of testing locations to ten nationwide, including Las Vegas, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Austin, Miami, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Expanding Operations and Infrastructure
Zoox plans to initially deploy a limited number of retrofitted sport utility vehicles in Dallas and Phoenix. The initial phase will focus on manual mapping of the cities, followed by autonomous testing with a safety driver present. To support these operations, Zoox will establish novel warehouses in both cities and inaugurate a “Fusion Center” in Scottsdale, Arizona. This facility will serve as a central command center for fleet operations, remote guidance, and passenger support. The company anticipates that this expansion will generate hundreds of new jobs.
Testing in Diverse Environments
Phoenix and Dallas were selected for their unique testing conditions. Unlike dense urban environments like San Francisco, these cities offer extensive road networks and present challenges such as extreme weather, including desert heat and dust. Zoox states that these conditions will be crucial in validating the performance of its sensors, batteries, and artificial intelligence systems.
Progress and Regulatory Engagement
As of early March 2026, Zoox has accumulated over 1 million autonomous miles driven and has served more than 300,000 passengers. The company, along with industry leaders Waymo and Aurora, is actively engaged with U.S. Regulators. CEOs from all three companies are scheduled to participate in a national forum on autonomous vehicle safety later in March 2026.
Competition in the Autonomous Vehicle Market
Zoox’s expansion occurs within a rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle landscape. Alphabet’s Waymo currently leads in commercial deployments, while Tesla is leveraging its manufacturing capabilities and advancements in artificial intelligence. Zoox has been steadily scaling its operations, launching limited services in Las Vegas and a passenger pilot program in San Francisco in late 2025.