CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos joins 'Money Movers' to discuss Amazon jumping into the robotaxi race as it rolls out its Zoox in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas

Amazon has officially entered the autonomous vehicle market with the public launch of its Zoox robotaxi service in Las Vegas. The vehicles, which do not have steering wheels or pedals, are currently offering free rides on the Vegas Strip to introduce the technology to the public while awaiting regulatory approval for paid services.

This move places Amazon among major technology companies such as Alphabet's Waymo and Tesla in the growing robo-taxi sector. Zoox uses LiDAR technology, similar to Waymo, and its debut highlights Amazon's long-term commitment to autonomous transportation. The launch also demonstrates Amazon's strategy of learning from established players to navigate regulatory and technical challenges.

Amazon launches Zoox, its robotaxi answer to Waymo rival

Amazon officially making its high-stakes entry into the robo-taxi race. Its self-driving unit, Zooks, launching in Las Vegas, going public today for the first time with cabs that don't have a steering wheel or pedals. Our Mackenzie Sagalos has that in today's Tech Check. Morning, Mack. Hey, good morning, Carl. So, five years after its $1.3 billion Zooks acquisition, and Amazon is officially in the AV wars. For now, the footprint is small, free rides on the Vegas Strip to build familiarity before regulators clear paid service. But it's also the public debut of a purpose-built robo-taxi, where ditching the steering wheel required special permission and led to delays. The move, though, giving Amazon a flashy tourism showcase and a beachhead market. This launch puts another Mag-7 giant into the robo-taxi race, joining Alphabet and Tesla in a fast-growing field that is betting big on autonomy. Waymo leading on scale. It is spreading across the country. And here in San Francisco, its fleet has tripled since its last disclosure. Waymo is available through Uber in certain markets. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi saying this week that in Atlanta and Austin, demand for driverless cars is already busier than 99% of human drivers. He also says consumers are willing to pay a premium. Tesla's service, though, it is still limited to geo-fenced areas in Austin with human supervisors. Its robo-taxi app was finally opened to the public this month after a long invite-only run. But the debut was bumpy with reports of spotty access. And then there's the tech that's powering all of this. Tesla uses cameras, while Zoox is using the same technology as Waymo, which is LiDAR. That has gotten dramatically cheaper. Elon Musk has dismissed LiDAR on technical grounds and cosmetics. But, Carl, you've got to admit these toasters on wheels are kind of cute. Today's launch, though, really underscoring that this isn't just a flashy demo, but big tech telegraphing robo-taxis as a long-term play. Where deep pockets, patience and platform reach will matter far more than quick revenue wins. Guys? It's pretty interesting. Along with the headline today, Mac, of Amazon developing glasses like Meta, some for consumer use and then some that'll be designed supposedly for their drivers. Right. I think that underscores the fact that Amazon has been very thoughtful in its timing. So it's late to the market. Waymo has been operating these driverless cars for five years now. Five years. But that's really given them an advantage in the sense that they are putting a vehicle on the road that doesn't look like a car. It doesn't have a steering wheel. It doesn't have pedals. And that's something that Tesla has said that it aims to do with its robo-taxis. But at this point, it's just a souped up Tesla Model 3. And so what this speaks to is the fact that Waymo has already gotten through a lot of the regulatory hurdles and figured out a lot of the technical difficulties that go with bringing this kind of product to launch. But Amazon has been able to read from that playbook. Yeah, I guess they're cute. We agree. Thank you, Mackenzie. Mackenzie Sagalos. Where did that come from on Amazon with their driving? Meanwhile, stock market doing pretty well. We have this. I mean, really, it's been fuel for the record setting stock rally all year, but it's come. There are two big catalysts today, and that is expectations of Fed lowers rates. We got another benign inflation report on PPI today. And then the AI trade, just hot, hot, hot. Oracle is the proof point today. Yeah. Deutsche, by the way, raising its year end. They were about here, $65.50.

Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday. 
Update: Authorities do not have a suspect in custody, a university spokesperson says. The school previously said police had a suspect in custody.

Orem

Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk shot

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux voted on Wednesday (September 10) to acquit former President Jair Bolsonaro of forming a criminal organization and voted to annul his trial over jurisdiction, breaking with peers and raising the odds of an appeal after the final verdict this week.

Brasilia

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U.S. President Donald Trump urged EU officials on Tuesday to hit China with tariffs of up to 100% as part of a strategy to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a U.S. official and an EU diplomat.

Washington

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Poland shot down drones that entered its airspace during a widespread Russian attack in western Ukraine, with the NATO member calling the incursion "an act of aggression." It marks the first time a member of the alliance has fired shots in the war.

Warsaw

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Two Brazilian Supreme Court justices voted to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of leading a criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2022 election, as they cast the first votes in the final phase of the ex-president's trial.

Two Brazil Supreme Court justices vote to convict Bolsonaro

Nepal’s prime minister has stepped down with at least 22 people dead, the country’s parliament in flames and its main airport shut down during a violent revolt. The unrest started over a social media ban and grew into a broader anti-corruption protest.

Kathmandu

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U.S. President Donald Trump can't escape questions about Jeffrey Epstein as a congressional committee released a suggestive personal note to Epstein allegedly from Trump, for the convicted sex offender’s 50th birthday.

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Israel's military said it "conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization," amid reports of large explosions in Qatar's capital city, Doha.

Doha

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French President Emmanuel Macron has named loyalist Sebastien Lecornu, a one-time conservative protégé who rallied behind his 2017 presidential run, as prime minister. Analysts say France is in the midst of a complicated political crisis.

Paris

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Videos circulating online reveal a luminous flying object hitting the vessel. No crew members were harmed. Activists part of the flotilla say they will not be deterred by the attack, and that their mission will continue as planned.

Middle East Conflict

Flotilla for Gaza ship struck by drone off Tunisia, organizers say

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the U.S. labor market added 911,000 fewer jobs between April 2024 and March 2025. CBS News MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady breaks it down.

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A Michigan judge has dropped criminal charges against 15 people who were accused of trying to falsely certify Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has the latest.

Michigan

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Israel says it carried out a strike targeting Hamas leaders. One Israeli official says it happened in Doha, Qatar. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Israel targets Hamas leadership in Doha strike

The Trump administration launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, saying the latest federal crackdown in a US city would target the "worst of the worst criminals." But activists in the city remain defiant and say they will resist efforts by ICE to snatch people off the streets.

Chicago

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Norway's Labour Party has won four more years in government after seeing off a surge in support for the right. But exit polls predict it will only have a small majority, and its future may depend on how it navigates Norway's relationship with the rest of the world.

Oslo

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Officials in Nepal say at least 16 people are dead and dozens more injured after police opened fire on protesters. Tens of thousands, mostly young people, rallied in the capital Kathmandu against the government's ban on platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube.

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France's Prime Minister François Bayrou overwhelmingly lost a confidence vote Monday after nine months in office. CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

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The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to continue its sweeping immigration stops in the Los Angeles area after they were briefly halted. CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez has more.

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Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday (September 8), killing six people in what police described as "a terrorist attack," one of the deadliest in the city in the past few years.

Jerusalem

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ready to hit Russia with a second phase of sanctions after its largest air attack on Ukraine in nearly four years of war. The assault on Saturday caused serious damage in Ukraine's capital, including to one of its most important government buildings.

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A drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck southern Israel Sunday, hitting Ramon International Airport near Eilat and forcing a shutdown of airspace in the region.

Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport

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Protests have erupted in Chicago after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a federal crackdown, including sending National Guard troops and expanding deportations.

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Russia's largest overnight air attack of the war set the main building of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv on fire and killed at least four people, including an infant, Ukrainian officials said.

Kyiv

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Problems with a cable likely caused a Lisbon funicular railway popular with tourists to hurtle down a hill, killing at least 16 people and injuring another 22 when it crashed into a building, according to a preliminary report.

Lisbon

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U.S. indie director Jim Jarmusch unexpectedly won the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday with "Father Mother Sister Brother", a three-part meditation on the uneasy ties between parents and their adult children.

Venice

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday (September 7) he has decided to resign, caving to ruling party pressure on him to take responsibility for a series of election losses amid voter anger over rising living costs.

Tokyo

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South Korea announced the deal on Sunday. The immigration raid was part of a criminal investigation targeting a major economic project of a key U.S. ally.

Savannah

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Chicago officials agree that a federal crackdown on immigration is imminent. Saturday kicked off a week-long celebration of Mexican Independence Day.

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Wall Street took hits on the market after hiring slumped in August. The economy added 22,000 jobs, far below expectations, fueling fresh concerns about a slowdown.

Breakdown