Innovating the future of personal transportation requires a particularly inspiring space, and the Zoox headquarters fits the bill perfectly. The Amazon-owned company is based in Foster City, California, where they’re working to build a first-of-its-kind robotaxi service that will help create a safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable future on the road in cities like Las Vegas and San Francisco.
We visited the headquarters to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Zoox facilitates collaboration and inspires creativity at their campus. Follow along for the full tour.
There are multiple office buildings at the Zoox campus in Foster City. We started out in the lobby of one of the main offices located on the San Francisco Bay.
As we headed into the office, the first thing we noticed was the stunning bay view and nature trail, which employees will often use for walking breaks or one-on-one meetings. Large windows showcase the campus’ beautiful surroundings, and there’s ample seating for employees to mingle and collaborate while taking in the sights.
We visited during lunch, so our first stop was the cafeteria. There are multiple stations where employees can pick up fresh meals to suit a variety of culinary tastes and dietary needs.
They even had recipe print-outs created by their in-house chefs to help employees explore new meals at home.
After we finished up a plate of food at the cafeteria, we continued to the game room. The space features a comfy couch with gaming consoles, an air hockey table, foosball, pool, and a basketball game. Teams can use the space for gatherings and even order catering from the cafeteria.
A wall in the game room tells the story of Zoox, from the company’s original founding at Stanford University in 2014 to its first robotaxi ride on public roads in 2023.
Next up, we visited the gym which has all the equipment you need for a full routine, including stair steppers, weights, a punching bag, and even a yoga studio.
We also checked out the theater room which is another great spot for team gatherings. Employees also use the space to stream live sporting events with fellow fans at the office while they work.
As the creator of an autonomous electric ride-hailing service, Zoox encourages employees to take sustainable modes of transportation for their commute. There’s a nearby bike trail with beautiful views of the bay, and Zoox offers bike storage and a locker room with showers.
Zoox believes in food as nourishment and always stocks healthy options for its crew members in the office micro kitchens. These include snacks like dried mangos, almonds, and trail mix.
There are also stations for employees to make fresh coffee and tea throughout the day.
Purposeful art adds color to the walls across the buildings at the Zoox campus.
We then explored more of the workspaces, including additional rooms for onsite collaboration and a tucked-away library that offers a quiet space for employees to shift gears for heads-down work.
We also found spacious phone booths where employees can pop in to take private calls.
The campus has Zoox robotaxis that take employees between buildings. We hopped in one to head to our next stop. The experience was incredibly cool. The robotaxi has no driver and no steering wheel. It’s a surprisingly spacious electric vehicle that carries up to four passengers with amenities like charging ports and customizable heating and cooling controls.
The robotaxi took us to our third and final building on our tour. This building served as one of the company’s first research and development facilities. There are separate offices and a manufacturing facility in the Bay Area now, but this building still provides a beautiful and nostalgic space for offices, research, and design.
Zoox holds its company meetings in a large amphitheater in the middle of the building. The space includes stadium seating and a large LED screen to visualize the announcements.
We got a chance to see the Zoox LabBot, which is used by several teams to extensively test and validate everything from manufacturing and firmware to user experience features before they are deployed on the robotaxi.
As we wandered the halls, we spotted a nod to the company’s history with a previous prototype of the Zoox robotaxi on display. One of the models had an all-black exterior with pink seats, which has since changed to the signature aloe color.
Finally, we ended the tour with a nod to where it all began, spotting the original Zoox prototype, which looks similar to an offroad vehicle with no doors or windows and rugged seats. It was amazing to see how the invention started.
Now that you’ve seen the workspaces that help the company drive exciting innovation, check out the product of their hard work with a tour of the Zoox robotaxi in action.