Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, has officially opened its first major production facility dedicated to the mass manufacturing of robotaxis. Situated in Hayward, California, the new 220,000-square-foot plant marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion from development to large-scale production, with a projected capability to produce up to 10,000 robotaxis annually.
The facility’s creation underlines Zoox’s ambition to transition toward commercial deployment over the next several years. Currently, the company is carrying out extensive testing in several U.S. cities and already provides rides to its employees in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Zoox anticipates launching a public early-rider program in 2026, broadening access to its autonomous vehicles.
In addition to final assembly, Zoox says the Hayward plant will play a crucial role in engineering and development, integrating critical software and hardware components, as well as facilitating vehicle storage and comprehensive testing. Initially, the factory will produce the company’s custom-designed robotaxis for commercial activities starting in Las Vegas, followed shortly by San Francisco. Further planned expansion will include roll-outs in Austin and Miami within the coming years.
Zoox designed the Hayward facility with flexibility in mind, enabling adaptation to future vehicle models as the company expands its robotaxi lineup. The production process will combine human labor with robotic systems, with staff performing most production tasks while robots tackle specialized operations such as applying adhesives during glass installation and moving vehicles along assembly lines.
This new location complements Zoox’s existing presence in the Bay Area, which includes another plant in Fremont near its headquarters in Foster City. By expanding its infrastructure and scaling robotaxi production, Zoox positions itself to compete substantially within the fast-growing self-driving transportation marketplace.
