Amazon in talks to buy autonomous vehicle startup Zoox

A worker sorting an Amazon.com Inc box in Fairfax, Virginia, US. Paying drivers to deliver packages is still one of the biggest costs in the company’s operation, leading Bezos to announce plans for drone delivery in 2013, though they have yet to materialise at scale. — Bloomberg

Amazon.com Inc is in talks to buy driverless vehicle startup Zoox Inc, according to people familiar with the matter, a deal that would accelerate the e-commerce giant’s automation efforts.

Other companies in the automotive and chip industries have also held talks with Zoox about a potential investment, the people said. At least one other business besides Amazon has offered to buy the company, they added. Zoox is unlikely to sell for less than the US$1bil (RM4.35bil) that it has already raised, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private negotiations.