Santa Monica Council Approves Zoox Robotaxi Pilot

The city moves to store 150 autonomous vehicles in municipal parking structures to generate new revenue.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Santa Monica Council Approves Zoox Robotaxi Pilot

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Should your local government lease unused public parking space to private autonomous vehicle companies?

The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-0 to authorize a pilot program allowing Zoox to store up to 150 electric robotaxis in city-owned parking facilities. The initiative aims to utilize unused space while preventing autonomous vehicles from crowding residential neighborhoods.

Why it matters

By repurposing underutilized parking capacity, the city aims to secure a reliable new revenue stream while managing the logistical footprint of autonomous vehicle fleets. This move seeks to centralize robotaxi operations, preventing individual vehicles from congregating in local neighborhoods.

The pilot program permits the storage of 150 electric robotaxis within designated city-owned parking structures for a term of up to one year. This arrangement is expected to generate at least $500,000 in annual revenue for the city treasury.

The players

Zoox

An autonomous vehicle company and subsidiary of Amazon that is developing and testing robotaxi fleets for deployment in urban areas.

Santa Monica City Council

The local governing body responsible for setting city policies and managing municipal assets like public parking structures.

Dan Hall

A member of the Santa Monica City Council who recused himself from this specific vote due to his personal ownership of Amazon stock.

The details

City staff are authorized to negotiate the deal for the library parking structure, which features three levels of underused capacity. The agreement specifically designates the facilities for vehicle staging and storage, meaning charging will occur elsewhere.

October 13, 2026: City Council voted to authorize negotiations with Zoox.

Roadmap

This pilot program marks a proactive shift in urban planning as municipalities begin to formalize logistics for the integration of autonomous robotaxi fleets. By establishing dedicated storage hubs, Santa Monica is positioning its infrastructure to accommodate the expanding footprint of driverless technology.

Local residents may notice changes to parking availability and traffic patterns near the library and transit structures during the one-year pilot. The program aims to keep storage activity confined to city-owned garages rather than allowing robotaxis to occupy street space in residential areas.

The takeaway

This pilot highlights the evolving need for cities to treat autonomous vehicle storage as a new form of municipal asset management. Residents should look for further updates as staff finalize the specific license terms and operational protocols with the company.