Colorado drivers already know winter can turn an ordinary commute into a challenge. Now Amazon’s robotaxi company wants to learn from it. Zoox, a competitor to Waymo, is bringing a small test fleet to Denver this winter to help train its driving technology in conditions including heavy rain and snow. The company told 9NEWS the testing will run for a few months. 
Before you start looking for another ride app, there’s a catch: these vehicles won’t be picking up passengers. The Denver test fleet will be driven manually, making this a technology-training visit rather than the launch of a new local ride service.
If you’ve seen pictures of Zoox, you probably remember the vehicle. Its purpose-built robotaxi has a boxy shape and a cabin with seats facing each other, giving it a very different look from a typical taxi. The company already offers rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco, but those passenger robotaxis shouldn’t be confused with the test fleet coming to Denver.
Zoox currently has no plans to launch passenger service in Denver. For now, Colorado is helping answer a practical question for the robotaxi industry: how does the technology handle weather that makes even experienced drivers slow down? Getting around on a clear afternoon is one thing. Colorado winter is another.
