Would you get into a Las Vegas robotaxi? A car with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no human driver? Well, Amazon, Uber, and Tesla are betting you will. No matter how well you plan your Sin City trip, getting across town is always a challenge. Now, however, Las Vegas has doubled its driverless zones, and robotaxi companies are fighting for your next ride. This Week in Gambling, we’re looking at the exploding robotaxi market, and how getting around Las Vegas is changing forever. So, what are these services? How do you access them? And are they any less expensive?
Well, let’s begin with Zoox. These are not simply modified cars. They are purpose-built vehicles with no front or back. Instead, there is face-to-face seating, and every seat comes with a wireless charging pad. Zoox serves the strip, the Spear, and T-Mobile Arena. And like other rid share services, you book through their app and meet them at the designated pickup zone. Later this year, you’ll even be able to book them on the Uber app. But the best part of Zoox for now is that it’s totally free, but only while they wait for final regulatory approval, and that could happen at any time.
Up next, we have Motional, who are already fully integrated into Uber. So, when you book through the Uber app, you might get a Las Vegas robotaxi. If so, you’ll get a notification and the option to decline and wait for a human driver. Or you can increase your odds of getting a robotaxi by selecting the autonomous vehicle option in your Uber app ride preference settings. Motional operates on the strip downtown and in the town square district. Right now they have a human safety operator in the driver’s seat, but that will stop before the end of this year. You can meet their vehicles in a ride share pickup zone and Motional robotaxi prices are about the same as Uber rides. But since there’s no driver, you will save on the tip. Unless of course you already don’t tip like some cheap bastard.
And that brings us to the newest entry in the Las Vegas robotaxi race, Tesla. Their vehicles are mapping Sin City streets right now and public rides are expected to begin by June. Like Motional, they will have a human safety operator on board when they first roll out before going driverless. Currently, they are using Tesla’s crossover SUVs, but purpose-built cyber cabs are in production. Tesla robotaxis plan to serve ride share pickup zones on the strip, but expansion will include the underground tunnels of the Las Vegas loop. That should reduce ride times across town to just 8 minutes and cut prices in half. The Loop recently expanded to Resorts World Westgate and the Encore and future plans include Fremont Street.
Finally, this week, there are more than 10 robotaxi companies globally, but only three in Las Vegas. For now, more will be arriving soon, including May Mobility, which has had success in other markets across the country and is now in talks to bring their autonomous Toyota Siennas to Las Vegas on the Lyft network. Right now, they’re conducting a pilot program in Vegas near the convention center and plan to launch in late summer or early fall. Then there’s Waymo, the big player that many people are waiting for. They are currently in the rollout phase, mapping city streets in their Jaguar IPACE SUVs, and passenger service for Las Vegas should begin before the end of summer.
So, the next time you book a ride share in Sin City, don’t be surprised if a Las Vegas robotaxi shows up. And while robo taxis should make getting around town easier and cheaper for visitors, they will definitely hurt Uber, Lift, and cab drivers at the same time. If you found this video helpful, we always appreciate a like. And if you want to keep up with other videos as we publish, then be sure to subscribe and follow our channel.
