Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle division, has issued a voluntary recall of 270 of its robotaxis following a crash in Las Vegas on April 8, 2025. The incident involved an unoccupied Zoox vehicle and a passenger car, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. According to reports, the crash occurred when the Zoox vehicle misinterpreted the movements of a car approaching from a perpendicular driveway. The robotaxi slowed down and steered right, assuming the passenger vehicle would continue into its lane. However, the car stopped, fully yielding to the Zoox vehicle, which resulted in a collision despite the robotaxi’s attempt to brake hard.
The crash raised concerns about the self-driving software’s ability to accurately predict the movements of surrounding vehicles, prompting Zoox to pause all driverless testing operations immediately after the incident. The company launched an internal review and later released a software update to all its vehicles on April 17, 2025, which addressed the issues. Following the update, testing operations resumed.
This incident comes at a critical time for Zoox, which is preparing to launch its commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas later this year. Zoox has been testing its autonomous technology in several U.S. cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin, Miami, and Seattle. This recall marks the second in recent months, as Zoox had already recalled 258 vehicles in March 2025 due to issues with unexpected hard braking.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been informed of the situation, and Zoox has reassured the public that it remains committed to improving its technology and ensuring the safety and reliability of its autonomous vehicles. Despite the setback, the company continues to focus on its goal of providing safe, efficient, and effective autonomous transportation solutions.
