Zoox headcount grows as Amazon’s self-driving unit expands testing in Vegas

By Abhirup Roy and Akash Sriram

(Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:)’s self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, is hiring more employees to expand its testing in Las Vegas at a time when the regulatory implications have taken a front seat in the development of autonomous vehicle technology.

Based in California, Zoox has ramped up its efforts to test its driverless robotaxi on pubic roads of Las Vegas since June 16, where the autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals has been driving itself around with the company’s employees.

Zoox’s headcount has grown to about 2,200, up from 1,900 at the beginning of the year, Chief Technology Officer Jesse Levinson told Reuters.

Levinson said that Zoox autonomous vehicle will not be driving on the Vegas strip yet but is being tested for handling traffic lights, intersections and drive at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

“We are preparing for commercial launch and so it is important to beef up,” Levinson said, adding that the company expects to maintain a similar growth rate in headcount throughout the year.

This comes at a time when the sector has been struggling with the development of fully autonomous vehicles due to tight access to funding and an uncertain economy.

Ford Motor (NYSE:) Co and Volkswagen AG (OTC:) last fall announced that they would shut down their Argo AI self-driving unit and focus on driver-assistance technology that provided more immediate returns.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:)’s self-driving technology project Waymo laid off 137 employees in a second round of job cuts this year.