Zoox, the self-driving, box-like vehicle, is said to be able to drive for about 16 hours on a single charge. It offers space for four occupants, who enter via sliding doors on both sides and sit opposite each other. In addition to normal seat belts, there are also special airbags, a charging facility for mobile phones and the like, as well as a touchscreen on each seat.
The design is radical. Apart from four wheels and the cup holders in the interior, which are indispensable for a US vehicle, nothing is reminiscent of a traditional taxi. There is no steering wheel or cockpit, so there is no driver’s seat or a predefined front and back. The 3.63-metre-long shuttle with all-wheel drive looks like a mini suspension railway cabin. Its roof is peppered with no less than six lidar sensors and should thus be able to detect and identify possible obstacles within a distance of at least 100 meters, even in bad weather conditions. Since both axles are steerable, the robotaxi can turn almost on the spot, according to its developers, and since it can drive forwards and backwards equally well, it can manoeuvre particularly well through densely built-up city centres. It is designed for this use.
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