TL;DR
- Amazon’s autonomous vehicle arm Zoox has opened its first full-scale robotaxi production facility in Hayward, California, covering 220,000 sq. ft.
- The plant is expected to eventually produce up to 10,000 robotaxis annually, starting with commercial deployment in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
- Zoox will begin public ride operations through an early rider program in 2026, with expansion into Austin and Miami planned.
- The facility blends human and robotic labor, with robots managing precision tasks such as glass adhesive application.
- The new site is key to Zoox’s transition from R&D to scaled manufacturing and commercialization.
Zoox Shifts Into Manufacturing Mode With New Robotaxi Factory
Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox has entered a pivotal new phase in its journey toward fully autonomous urban mobility. The company has officially opened its first large-scale robotaxi production plant in Hayward, California, strategically located near its Foster City headquarters.
Spanning 220,000 square feet, the Hayward factory is Zoox’s first full production facility and will be dedicated to assembling its uniquely custom-built, bidirectional robotaxis. According to Zoox, this new plant will eventually have the capacity to manufacture 10,000 vehicles per year, serving as a launchpad for its broader commercial rollout in major U.S. cities.
Zoox Robotaxi Factory Key Stats
| Category | Details | Source |
| Location | Hayward, California | Zoox Official |
| Size | 220,000 sq. ft. | Zoox Factory Announcement |
| Expected Output Capacity | 10,000 robotaxis annually | TechCrunch Coverage |
| Initial Launch Cities | Las Vegas, San Francisco | Zoox Press Release |
| Planned Expansion Cities | Austin, Miami | CNN Business |
| Public Access Rollout | Early Rider Program (2026) | Zoox Website |
| Automation in Factory | Robots assist with glass adhesive & vehicle movement | Zoox Official Blog |
A Strategic Shift from Prototype to Production
The Hayward facility marks Zoox’s transition out of its research-heavy phase and into the manufacturing era. Until now, the company had primarily relied on an assembly warehouse in Fremont, focused on limited pilot testing. With the new site, Zoox aims to streamline everything from hardware integration to software calibration, bringing together engineering, storage, testing, and final vehicle assembly under one roof.
This milestone is a crucial part of Amazon’s broader investment into the autonomous vehicle industry, where it competes with players like Waymo, Cruise, and Aurora.
Early Deployments Begin in Las Vegas and San Francisco
The new factory will prioritize the production of robotaxis for Las Vegas and San Francisco, where Zoox is currently conducting limited internal ride programs for employees. The company confirmed plans to open public access to its vehicles via an early rider program in 2026, likely starting in these two launch cities.
Las Vegas provides an ideal testbed thanks to its predictable grid layout, while San Francisco offers exposure to complex urban driving scenarios. The dual-launch strategy allows Zoox to refine its performance across varied traffic environments.
Future Expansion: Austin and Miami on the Roadmap
Looking beyond 2026, Zoox aims to expand its commercial services into Austin and Miami. These cities are known for progressive transportation initiatives and favorable regulatory environments, making them ideal targets for the next phase of growth.
By planting operational roots in multiple geographic regions, Zoox is also addressing climate adaptability, a key consideration for all-weather autonomy.
Human-Robot Collaboration at the Core of Production
While much of the autonomous driving field focuses on eliminating human input behind the wheel, Zoox’s production strategy leans into human-robot collaboration.
At the Hayward plant, robots will assist with precision tasks, including:
- Applying adhesive for glass installation
- Transporting the vehicle down the assembly line
However, human workers will handle the majority of the production process, including systems integration and quality checks. This hybrid model is designed to balance cost efficiency, safety, and production consistency.
“Our factory layout was engineered to evolve with vehicle design,” Zoox said in a company statement, suggesting readiness for product-line diversification in the coming years.
Building Infrastructure for the Next Phase of Mobility
Zoox’s approach stands out from traditional automakers. Unlike competitors retrofitting cars with autonomous features, Zoox has engineered its vehicles from the ground up, optimizing for shared, driverless mobility from day one.
Each vehicle is designed to be:
- Bidirectional, eliminating the need for U-turns
- Symmetrical, enhancing passenger safety and spatial use
- Electric and zero-emission, aligning with global climate goals
The Hayward factory is tailored specifically to assemble such vehicles at scale, with the flexibility to support multiple configurations as the company expands its lineup.
Amazon’s Broader Strategy in Mobility
Amazon acquired Zoox in 2020 to gain a stronghold in the autonomous mobility sector. The company is investing heavily not just in autonomy, but in delivery logistics, urban transportation, and robotics more broadly.
Other Amazon-backed initiatives include:
- Amazon Scout – sidewalk delivery robots
- Prime Air – drone delivery service
- Rivian partnership – electric delivery vans for e-commerce logistics
The Zoox production plant complements these initiatives by giving Amazon direct manufacturing control over a high-tech, service-based transportation product.
What Comes Next for Zoox?
As the factory scales up over the next year, industry watchers will look for:
- Certification milestones ahead of the 2026 early rider program
- Fleet size and production output updates
- Potential moves into international markets
Zoox will also face competitive pressure from Cruise, which has begun offering rides in select U.S. cities, and Waymo, which is expanding across Phoenix and Los Angeles.
Still, by owning both the vehicle and the software stack, Zoox remains one of the most vertically integrated players in the sector — a strategy that could pay off as the industry matures.
