Zoox has opened its first serial production facility for purpose-built robotaxis in the USA. The facility will support its planned expansion and deployment of robotaxi services in multiple markets, beginning with Las Vegas, followed by San Francisco, with additional locations such as Austin and Miami anticipated in the coming years.
Located in Hayward, California, the 220,000ft2 site is the company’s second vehicle production facility in the Bay Area. Zoox’s original assembly facility in Fremont, California, now focuses on the company’s retrofitted testing fleet and sensor pod configuration.
Once this currently installed production line is at full scale, Zoox will have the capacity to assemble over 10,000 robotaxis per year. Production volumes will increase over time to align with the demand for the company’s commercial services.
Building the facility
The facility supports a wide range of operations, including robotaxi engineering, software and hardware integration, vehicle assembly, component storage, shipping and receiving and end-of-line testing before deployment.
The facility supports collaboration by being located near the company’s Foster City headquarters. Zoox owns, operates and assembles these purpose-built robotaxis, giving the company oversight of the entire process end-to-end and enabling flexibility based on market demand and expansion plans. The facility’s design and specialized equipment will accommodate future updates as the robotaxi design evolves.
Humans and robots
In the assembly facility, human workers continue to be an essential part of the manufacturing process. The robots that are used on the floor are primarily used for specific tasks, such as applying adhesive for glass installation (which requires precision to avoid leaks and smudges) and transporting the robotaxi down the assembly line, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow. The rest is done manually. This facility is expected to create hundreds of jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sustainability considerations
Zoox has prioritized logistics equipment that supports the reduction of noise and air pollution at the assembly facility. Additionally, because Zoox does not perform energy-intensive processes like welding, cutting or painting on-site, the facility has a relatively low power draw compared to traditional automotive manufacturers.
Zoox has also partnered with suppliers to preassemble major components rather than managing every aspect of manufacturing in-house. This strategy streamlines the final assembly process and lessens the environmental impact of large-scale industrial operations.
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