Amazon offshoot starts autonomous vehicle operations in Austin

There will soon be another autonomous vehicle company on Austin’s streets. Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon, announced on Wednesday that it will expand its vehicle testing into Miami and Austin. Austin Business Journal reports the company has had employees driving its mapping cars throughout the city in recent weeks. More advanced testing is coming soon for the company using five Toyota Highlanders modified to operate autonomously, though safety drivers will be inside the vehicles to take over when needed. AV activity in Austin has slowed since the Cruise brand decided last year to pause operations nationwide, though it did restart service in Dallas this week. City staff and commissions are still grappling with how to incorporate the new technology into the local transportation system since state laws have limited the ability to regulate them.