Amazon has finally launched Zoox, their public robotaxi service, in Las Vegas.

Their vehicle is the world's first purpose-designed robotaxi; competitor Waymo, which currently operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, L.A., Atlanta and Austin, uses retrofitted Jaguar I-Paces and Chrysler Pacifica minivans. In contrast the Zoox vehicle was designed by an in-house team, led by industrial designer Nahuel Battaglia.

"The idea for Zoox was never to make a car drive itself; it was about creating an entirely new mode of transportation," says Jesse Levinson, Zoox Co-Founder and CTO.

Because the vehicle was designed from the ground-up, it frees riders from the cognitive dissonance that comes with seeing an unattended driver's seat and the steering wheel turning by itself. There is no driver's compartment at all. The vehicle resembles a gondola carriage more than a car, containing two bench seats facing each other.

The vehicle is completely symmetrical not just left-to-right, with sliding doors on both sides, but front-to-back; that makes it bi-directional, meaning driving "forward" or "backward" is merely a semantic distinction. The vehicle never has to make a U-turn (though it can). The light clusters at each end are identical, serving as headlights or taillights depending on which way it's going.

As for the user experience: Zoox is currently operating along and around the Las Vegas strip, with fixed destinations limited to popular casinos and entertainment venues. Riders summon it via smartphone app, like an Uber, selecting their pick-up and drop-off points. The license plate of the vehicle is provided.

When the vehicle shows up, the doors open automatically, and a screen displays the passengers' name/booking. The floor is low and easy to step into, designed to maximize accessibility.

Once passengers enter and take a seat, the vehicle won't start moving until every passenger has their seatbelt on (there are cameras inside).

Passengers each have access to a screen with climate controls and a Help button; pressing the latter automatically connects you, via an audio link inside the vehicle, to a remote Zoox Support worker. Confusingly, there's also an Emergency button above each seat, which does the same thing. The support worker has the ability to stop the vehicle.

There are USB-C charging outlets and wireless charging pads provided between the seats.

When it arrives at the destination, the doors again open automatically.

For now, the service is completely free. This is partly to encourage uptake, but also because Amazon has not yet gained regulatory approval to charge riders, which they're currently applying for.

The service just launched this week, so you can expect to see Zoox-riding influencer videos popping up shortly. The company has also announced plans to muscle in on Waymo territory, specifically Austin and San Francisco, and both companies have announced plans to expand into Miami.