Amazon has stepped up its investment in the car sector, participating in a $530 million funding round early last year in self-driving car startup Aurora Innovation
Global e-commerce giant Amazon is all set to acquire California-based ride-hailing company Zoox. The latest deal would enable Amazon to expand its presence in the autonomous mobility segment.
Amazon will reportedly shell out over a billion dollars to buy the six-year-old self-driving vehicle technology startup.
“Zoox is working to imagine, invent, and design a world-class autonomous ride-hailing experience,” said Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s CEO, Worldwide Consumer. “Like Amazon, Zoox is passionate about innovation and about its customers, and we’re excited to help the talented Zoox team to bring their vision to reality in the years ahead,” he added.
“This acquisition solidifies Zoox’s impact on the autonomous driving industry,” said Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox. “We have made great strides with our purpose-built approach to safe, autonomous mobility, and our exceptionally talented team working every day to realise that vision. We now have an even greater opportunity to realise a fully autonomous future.”
Amazon noted in a release that Evans and Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder and CTO, will continue to lead the startup as a standalone business.
Amazon has stepped up its investment in the car sector, participating in a $530 million funding round early last year in self-driving car startup Aurora Innovation.
