Zoox in San Francisco
In San Francisco, Zoox provides rides, while new riders first join the waitlist through the Zoox app.
- Status
- Waitlist
- Book with
- Zoox app
- Since
- November 2025
In San Francisco, Zoox offers free robotaxi trips to riders who get an invite from its waitlist. You sign up for that waitlist through the Zoox app. Since November 2025, members of the public have been able to use the service, and in March 2026 the service area had grown to roughly 4 times its original size.
- Status: Join a waitlist, then get an invite
- Cost: Free
- Booking: Zoox app on iPhone or Android
- Public riders since: November 18, 2025
Zoox Service Map for San Francisco
At first, Zoox served just three parts of the city: SoMa, the Mission, and the Design District. Its service area roughly quadrupled in March 2026 and now spans the eastern half of the city.
| Area | Start or expansion |
|---|---|
| SoMa | November 2025 |
| Mission | November 2025 |
| Design District | November 2025 |
| Marina | March 2026 |
| North Beach | March 2026 |
| Chinatown | March 2026 |
| Pacific Heights | March 2026 |
| Embarcadero | March 2026 |
Which Parts of San Francisco Does Zoox Cover?
Trips take place across the eastern half of San Francisco. Within that side of the city, service includes the Marina, North Beach, Chinatown, Pacific Heights, and the Embarcadero, along with SoMa, the Mission, and the Design District. The city's other side, the western half, stays outside the expanded zone.
How to Join the Waitlist and Ride for Free
Booking a ride right away is not possible. First, you put your name on a waitlist, which is simply a line of people waiting for access. Zoox then invites riders from that list in turn.
- Download the Zoox app, which works on iPhone and Android.
- You can sign up for the waitlist inside the app.
- Wait for an invite. Once invited, riders become part of a group Zoox calls Zoox Explorers.
San Francisco trips carry no charge. The company operates here as a pilot, which is a trial period allowed by the state, and California pilot rules bar charging fares. Zoox has also said that, as it puts more robotaxis on the road, it hopes to do away with the waitlist.
Zoox vehicles look quite unlike everyday cars. They have no steering wheel or pedals, which means there is no driver's seat either.
Robotaxi Choices in San Francisco
Other companies also offer rides around the city, and each one has its own setup.
| Operator | Who rides | Start | In-car human |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoox | Riders holding a waitlist invite | November 2025 | No one on board; the car has no wheel or pedals |
| Waymo | Anyone, full service | June 2024 | Not stated |
| Tesla Robotaxi | Public riders | July 2025 | A safety monitor aboard |
| Uber trial | Only selected Uber employees | Testing | Safety operator |
Can You Ride a Driverless Taxi in San Francisco Today?
Yes. Since June 2024, Waymo has been serving the general public across the Bay Area. In San Francisco, Zoox trips are free, though you need a waitlist invite before you can ride.
Tesla started operating in the city in July 2025, and a human safety monitor rides along. That monitor is simply a person in the car keeping an eye on the journey.
Zoox in Other Cities
- Las Vegas: Since September 10, 2025, Zoox has offered a public service covering the Strip area. Rides there are paid, unlike those in San Francisco. The Las Vegas Review-Journal took 6 rides and found that Zoox averaged $22.62. Through Uber, Motional rides started March 13, 2026, while Waymo started welcoming the public little by little in September 2026.
- Austin: Only employees, family, and friends can use Zoox rides. Tesla Robotaxi started on June 22, 2025, while Waymo has provided driverless rides via Uber since March 2025.
- Miami: Since April 23, 2026, Zoox has limited rides to employees, family, and friends. Waymo welcomed its first public riders in January 2026. Tesla has offered an unsupervised service since July 3, 2026.