Zoox halts Atlanta autonomous testing

Zoox grounded its autonomous vehicle test fleet in Atlanta after safety drivers were exposed to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen sulfide gas inside vehicles last month.

OSHA opens inquiry into exposures

One worker filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which opened an inquiry. OSHA's letter to Zoox indicated as many as forty workers were possibly exposed to the gases.

Workers sent back after vomiting

After one worker vomited and others reported exposure symptoms, Zoox put them back in a different test car. That vehicle may have also contained toxic gases, as workers experienced another bout of symptoms later that day.

Jay Davis describes the incident

Contractor Jay Davis, who got sick in mid-August, said Zoox made workers return to the field despite reporting illness. He emailed HR expressing frustration about being sent back out.

“They made us go right back in the field after we said we were throwing up.”

Symptoms reported through August

Workers reported exposure symptoms and strange smells through much of August until August twenty-second, when someone called nine one one for a sick worker. The Atlanta facility then operated at limited capacity.

Zoox expands amid safety concerns

The illnesses come as Zoox branches into new cities and expands operations in Las Vegas and San Francisco to catch market leader Waymo. Contractors have previously sustained injuries from sudden braking and swerving.

Emergency room diagnosis unclear

Davis and two other workers were told at the emergency room their symptoms were consistent with carbon monoxide exposure. The OSHA complaint mentions possible carbon dioxide exposure.

Zoox investigated battery damage

Zoox told OSHA it examined test vehicles for carbon dioxide and replaced their twelve-volt batteries. Damaged batteries can produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which creates a rotten egg smell.

Zoox's account to regulators

Zoox identified twenty-eight employees who rode in six test vehicles with unexplained odor. Ten workers underwent medical evaluation. The company said it received only one medical report identifying carbon dioxide exposure.

Zoox adds monitoring devices

Zoox told OSHA it will add carbon dioxide monitors to vehicles that can detect carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. OSHA has since closed its inquiry into the incidents.

Why gas buildup happens in cars

Cars produce carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide when burning fuel. These gases enter vehicles through exhaust leaks or build up if a vehicle runs in an enclosed space for extended periods.

Zoox uses modified SUVs

Zoox modifies Toyota Highlander SUVs for testing, adding sensors and an autonomy computer. The company also adds an interior snorkel above the infotainment screen to push air toward rear passengers.

Zoox is outlier with gas engines

Zoox is unusual among major robotaxi developers because its test fleet uses internal combustion engines. Waymo, Tesla, Avride, and Motional all use electric vehicles, which produce no exhaust gases.

August fourteenth incident unfolds

On August fourteenth, four workers riding together reported feeling weird. One colleague vomited at a Chick-fil-A stop. The dispatcher arranged for the SUV to be towed and sent an Uber to return workers to base.

“Everything was fine. We was all laughing and talking, you know, just having a normal workday, and then everybody got quiet for some reason.”

Workers ordered to take drug tests

After the August fourteenth incident, Zoox ordered the four employees to take what it described as a random drug test in the days that followed. The company's response raised questions about accountability.

Fleet remains grounded pending investigation

Zoox's Atlanta test vehicles remain quarantined while the company investigates the exposures. The facility operates at limited capacity as Zoox works to identify the source of the toxic gases.