Tesla vs Zoox
Compare Tesla and Zoox on service areas, vehicles, rider fares and private-car access.
How the operators compare
Both operators have records in Houston. Compare access at the same time and for the same pickup and destination.
| Field | Tesla | Zoox |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Unknown | Amazon |
| Vehicle platforms | Model Y, Cybercab | Purpose-built Zoox robotaxi, Retrofitted test vehicles |
| Company-wide owner access | Announced | None |
| Cities covered in this dataset | Austin, Tampa, Houston | San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego, Houston, Atlanta |
| Service description | Tesla offers paid rides through the Robotaxi app. Its plan to integrate some customer vehicles is a future milestone. A ride fare in the app gives buyers no information about the share a private owner might receive. | Zoox owns and operates its rider vehicles. It runs a paid service in Las Vegas and invites early riders in San Francisco. In other markets, testing can precede access by paying riders. |
City-level evidence
| City | Operator | Service status | Since | Vehicle | Onboard monitor | Owner enrollment | Verified | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Zoox | Employee only | Nov 13, 2026 | Purpose-built Zoox robotaxi | No | No | Nov 14, 2026 | Zoox robotaxi arriving in Atlanta |
| Austin | Tesla | Public · paid | Unknown | Model Y and Cybercab | Unknown | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Robotaxi rider support |
| Houston | Tesla | Public · paid | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Robotaxi rider support |
| Houston | Zoox | Testing | Unknown | Retrofitted test vehicle | Unknown | No | Nov 14, 2026 | Third-quarter 2026 results and Zoox operations |
| Las Vegas | Zoox | Public · paid | Aug 10, 2026 | Purpose-built Zoox robotaxi | No | No | Nov 14, 2026 | Third-quarter 2026 results and Zoox operations |
| San Diego | Zoox | Testing | Unknown | Retrofitted test vehicle | Unknown | No | Nov 14, 2026 | Third-quarter 2026 results and Zoox operations |
| San Francisco | Zoox | Public · free | Nov 18, 2025 | Purpose-built Zoox robotaxi | No | No | Nov 14, 2026 | Zoox rides and early access in San Francisco |
| Tampa | Tesla | Public · paid | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Nov 14, 2026 | Robotaxi rider support |
Fare and service-area notes
| Service | Area and booking access | Fare evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla · Austin | Tesla’s app shows current pickup and drop-off coverage. Cybercab rides are offered in limited parts of Austin. | Tesla quotes the trip in its app, with applicable taxes and fees. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Tesla · Tampa | Tesla lists limited areas of Tampa in its rider app. | Tesla quotes the trip in its app, with applicable taxes and fees. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Tesla · Houston | Tesla lists limited areas of Houston in its rider app. | Tesla quotes the trip in its app, with applicable taxes and fees. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Zoox · San Francisco | Zoox invites members of the public from its San Francisco waitlist. | Free early-access trips for invited riders. |
| Zoox · Las Vegas | Zoox serves selected Las Vegas destinations. Its app shows available pickup and drop-off points. | Paid service. No citywide average fare per paid mile verified. |
| Zoox · San Diego | Zoox identified San Diego for mapping and tests. Amazon confirmed testing had started in its quarterly results. | Testing. No public fare verified. |
| Zoox · Houston | Zoox identified Houston for mapping and tests. Amazon confirmed testing had started in its quarterly results. | Testing. No public fare verified. |
| Zoox · Atlanta | Initial Atlanta rides are limited to employees and invited friends and family. | Private early rides. No public fare verified. |
What this means for earning money here
Paid passenger service is recorded for Tesla, Zoox. A rider fare can help price a trip, while the owner’s receipts depend on how the fare is settled. The reviewed local records do not establish an open enrollment program for a privately owned car.
For Houston, reserve the hours needed for personal trips, then vary paid utilization and the owner share. Enter the electricity tariff and insurance quote that apply to the vehicle. Unknown fares and uncontracted shares remain scenario assumptions.
Sources
Newsletter
The Robotaxi Profit Report
Get the week’s verified service changes and the numbers behind them.