机器人出租车指无需人类驾驶员的自动驾驶网约车服务。当前美国市场中，Waymo规模最大，Zoox规模较小且尚未收费但准备扩展，Uber则不开发自动驾驶技术而是聚合供给。行业长期争论安全驾驶员何时取消及谁能率先实现无驾驶员规模化。核心分界逐渐从“是否有安全员”转向“是否存在方向盘”。多数自动驾驶车辆仍保留方向盘以符合既有联邦安全标准，而Zoox完全移除方向盘、踏板及驾驶控制，采用对坐布局，由系统完全承担驾驶功能。
Uber与Zoox合作将在拉斯维加斯通过Uber应用投放车辆，但算法、供给和用户条件决定是否匹配机器人出租车，无法保证。Uber已在部分城市接入Waymo，但其车辆仍类似传统汽车。Zoox则为“purpose-built”专用设计，强调空间效率与乘坐体验，其本质是为城市移动设计的机器人而非改装车辆。该合作利用Uber的用户基础提升认知与分发效率，反映商业层通过平台整合加速技术落地。
监管层正在快速跟进。美国国家公路交通安全管理局已批准Zoox针对无传统控制装置车辆的豁免申请，并征求意见以支持首次商业化部署，允许每年最多投放2,500辆。交通部长提出在无驾驶员情况下现有规则的适用性问题。核心问题转向车辆定义：无方向盘、无人工接管的系统是否仍属汽车。Uber与Zoox正在测试的不仅是技术可行性，还包括监管与公众接受度，这标志着行业范式转变。
Robotaxis refer to autonomous ride-hailing services without human drivers. In the US, Waymo operates the largest fleet, Zoox remains small and fare-free but is expanding, and Uber aggregates supply rather than building its own system. The industry has long debated when safety drivers would disappear and who would scale first without them. The key dividing line is shifting from the presence of safety drivers to the presence of a steering wheel. Most autonomous vehicles retain steering wheels to comply with federal safety standards, whereas Zoox eliminates steering wheels, pedals, and all driver controls, using inward-facing seating with the system as the driver.
Uber and Zoox plan deployment in Las Vegas via the Uber app, but matching is determined by algorithms, availability, and rider eligibility, so robotaxis are not guaranteed. Uber already integrates Waymo in some cities, yet those vehicles resemble conventional cars. Zoox vehicles are “purpose-built,” emphasizing spatial efficiency and passenger experience, representing robots designed for urban mobility rather than retrofitted vehicles. The partnership leverages Uber’s user base for distribution, illustrating how platform aggregation accelerates commercialization.
Regulation is catching up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved Zoox exemptions for vehicles lacking traditional controls and is considering broader approval for commercial deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles annually. The Transportation Secretary is questioning the relevance of existing rules without drivers. The core issue becomes definitional: whether a system without steering controls remains a car. Uber and Zoox are testing not only technical viability but also regulatory and public acceptance, marking a structural shift in the industry.