Zoox Robotaxis Go Rogue! Indy's Guide to Self-Driving Mayhem in Vegas

Fortune and Glory Kid. Fortune and Glory... and a Robotaxi Wreck!

Right so yours truly is used to dodging booby traps and outrunning boulders not malfunctioning metal contraptions. But news out of Vegas? Seems like Amazon's Zoox 'robotaxis' decided to play a real life game of bumper cars. Word is these driverless doodads all 270 of 'em are getting a software 'recall'. I've faced down Nazis with better driving skills than this!

Snakes. Why Did It Have to Be Snakes... I Mean Crashes?

Apparently this all kicked off on April 8th when an *unoccupied* Zoox decided to get up close and personal with a passenger vehicle. No one got hurt thank heavens but the ol' NHTSA (that's the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for you laymen) is raising an eyebrow. Zoox claims it was a software snafu that made the robotaxi misjudge another car's moves. You know like when *I* misjudge the distance between me and a rapidly closing temple door. Timing is everything!

Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing... Mostly

Zoox bless their silicon hearts insists they've fixed the issue with a software update. Every robotaxi from their 'purpose built' models to the test fleet has supposedly gotten the memo. They even paused operations while they figured things out. Good on them I say! Though between you and me I'd still rather trust a grumpy camel than a car that thinks for itself. At least camels are predictable in their grumpiness.

It Belongs in a Museum! Or Maybe a Junkyard?

Amazon bought Zoox back in 2020 dreaming of a robotaxi revolution. But they're trailing behind Alphabet's Waymo like I trail behind villains making their getaway. Tesla's also chiming in promising robotaxis in Austin but let's be honest their track record on deadlines is about as reliable as a two dollar Rolex. All I can say is I hope these things have better brakes than that old biplane I flew out of Crete. Yikes!

Vegas Baby! (But Maybe Take a Cab)

For now Zoox is tinkering with these rolling robots in Las Vegas and Foster City. They even dragged some retrofitted vehicles into Los Angeles. Sounds like a recipe for a modern day chariot race to me. Just keep your fedora on tight and your eyes peeled folks. You never know when a rogue robot might decide to test its 'autonomous' navigation on your fender.

X Marks the Spot... Where the Recall Began

And just to add a cherry on top the NHTSA also wrapped up an investigation into some older crashes involving Toyota Highlanders with Zoox tech. Apparently the cars had a habit of slamming on the brakes and getting rear ended by motorcyclists. Minor injuries thankfully but it all adds up. Maybe I should stick to horses. They might be stubborn but at least they don't require software updates. Now where's my whip?